Thunder stay perfect, Northwest Division roundup

The Oklahoma City Thunder have grabbed an early edge in a tightly packed Northwest Division. With a 96-84 win over the Denver Nuggets, Oklahoma City remains perfect at 2-0, while Denver opens its season at 0-1.

Thunder out front with a 2-0 start

By knocking off the Nuggets 96-84, the Oklahoma City Thunder sit alone on top of the Northwest Division standings at 2-0. Two games, two wins, and already a head-to-head victory over a direct division rival that could matter in tiebreakers down the road.

The win underlines how quickly the Thunder have settled in while most of the division is still hovering around .500. With one more game played than most of their rivals, Oklahoma City has a small but real cushion in the early going.

Slow opening night for the Denver Nuggets

For the Denver Nuggets, the 96-84 loss means an 0-1 start in the Northwest. That record places them behind the Minnesota Timberwolves (1-0), the Portland Trail Blazers (1-0) and the 2-0 Thunder in the division race.

It is only one game, but in a division where four of five teams already have at least a .500 record, every intradivision result matters. Denver will need to respond quickly to avoid letting Oklahoma City create early separation at the top.

Jazz and Jaren Jackson Jr. in the spotlight

While the Utah Jazz are still looking for their first win at 0-1, one of their stars had a noteworthy night on the road. According to Hoops Rumors, summarizing a report from The Salt Lake Tribune, Jaren Jackson Jr. returned to Memphis on Wednesday for the first time since his February trade to the Jazz.

That summary notes that Jackson Jr. received a standing ovation from the crowd, with many fans still wearing his old jersey. Emotionally, it is a significant moment for the Jazz forward as he now focuses on helping Utah climb back in a competitive Northwest race.

Timberwolves and Blazers off on the right foot

The Minnesota Timberwolves (1-0) and Portland Trail Blazers (1-0) are also off to solid starts, even though they were idle on the latest slate. Minnesota, Portland and Oklahoma City make up the division’s unbeaten trio, while Denver and Utah sit at 0-1. It is early, but the tone in the Northwest is clear: slip-ups are costly, and the standings are already tight.