Roundup
Oklahoma City Thunder
Minnesota Timberwolves
Portland Trail Blazers
Denver Nuggets
Utah Jazz
Oklahoma City Thunder edged late, Northwest roundup
The Oklahoma City Thunder dropped a tight 128-126 decision to Milwaukee, while the Timberwolves lost in Indiana and Portland made a rare waiver move in the Northwest Division.
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The Northwest Division delivered another busy slate, with two close losses on the floor and a rare roster move off it as Portland dipped into the seldom-used NBA waiver system.
Oklahoma City Thunder: another narrow loss, 0-2 start
The Oklahoma City Thunder went toe-to-toe with Milwaukee before coming up just short in a 128-126 defeat. The result leaves Oklahoma City at 0-2 in the Northwest, already looking up at the rest of the pack after two losses by a combined margin of only a few points. The offense was productive enough to stay in it until the end, but the Thunder now need to turn competitive performances into wins to avoid falling further behind their divisional rivals.
Minnesota Timberwolves: first setback on the road
The Minnesota Timberwolves took their first loss of the year, a 123-112 road defeat against Indiana. After opening with a win, Minnesota drops back to 1-1 in the Northwest standings. The game underscored the challenge of carrying over early-season form away from home. Even so, the Timberwolves remain firmly in the mix in a division where four teams are sitting at .500 or better and separation has yet to appear.
Portland Trail Blazers: Micah Potter arrives via waivers
While others were on the floor, the Portland Trail Blazers made their noise on the transaction wire. Portland claimed center Micah Potter off waivers, leaning on a mechanism that has become increasingly rare under the current collective bargaining agreement. The move comes on a day when Miami also picked up Bez Mbeng via waivers, highlighting an unusually active moment on that front. Still undefeated at 1-0, the Blazers add frontcourt depth without going through the traditional signing routes.
Denver Nuggets and Utah Jazz: quiet day in a tight race
The Denver Nuggets (1-1) and Utah Jazz (1-1) were idle, but remain firmly in the middle of a tightly packed Northwest Division. With Portland ahead at 1-0 and three other teams, including Denver and Utah, sitting at 1-1, there is little room for error. Every upcoming game figures to have an immediate impact on a standings table that is already tightly bunched.