Lace up your hiking boots! Tonight the Knicks (40*-23) scale the mountains of Denver to face the Nuggets (39-24) at Ball Arena. New York plans to leave with a season sweep in this cross-conference matchup. Our heroes have won six of their last ten games on the schedule, while Denver have split their last ten.
The teams last met on February 4, 2026, when the Knicks won 134-127 in double overtime slog at MSG. Jalen Brunson topped New York with 42 points, nine assists, and eight rebounds, while Jamal
Murray scored 39 points and six assists for the visitors.
Denver has built one of the league’s top offenses this season, ranking first in offensive rating (121.7) and points per game (120.4). Shoot well? Why yes, they lead the NBA in three-point percentage (39%) and effective field goal percentage. Their downfall is their defense: they rank 22nd in defensive rating and last in steals and opponent turnovers.
Three-time MVP Nikola Jokić anchors the Nuggets with 28.6 points, 12.6 rebounds, and 10.4 assists per game, leading the league in PER and box plus-minus. He’s also the Nugget most likely to smell like a barn. Murray averages 25.7 points and 7.3 assists, and is capable of posting a lot of points (137 over his last four games), while Christian Braun (10.9 PPG) provides wing defense and energy.
Depending on who’s available, the home team will likely start Murray, Braun, Julian Strawther, Zeke Nnaji, and Jokić. On their injury report, Peyton Watson (hamstring) is OUT, while Aaron Gordon (hammy), Cameron Johnson (ankle), and Spencer Jones (shoulder) are all listed as game-time decisions. For the Knicks, Josh Hart is questionable (back), and Miles McBride is still healing from hernia surgery.
Prediction
ESPN’s matchup predictor gives the Knicks a 52% chance to win. Excellent. The Nuggets an elite offense, but the Knicks have muscled up their defensive pressure lately, making this a great test for our heroes. Injuries have depleted Denver, and three of their top six scoring options could be scratches tonight. Look for New York to take a while getting used to the altitude but to buckle down in the second half for a 10-point win.
Game Details
Who: New York Knicks (40*-23) at Denver Nuggets (39-24)
Date: Friday, March 6, 2026
Time: 9 PM ET
Place: Ball Arena, Denver, CO
TV: MSG
Follow: @ptknicksblog and bsky
* Should be one more, but NBA Cup wins are gaseous, not solids.
