NBA Games Today: Thunder–Pacers and Nuggets–Warriors Headline a Two-Game Thursday Slate

The NBA serves up a compact but quality doubleheader today, with two matchups that showcase elite playmaking and contrasting tempos. Oklahoma City visits Indiana in the early slot, while Denver’s champions test Golden State’s revamped small-ball look in San Francisco. It’s a night built for star guards, scheming bigs, and early-season statement wins.

Schedule and tip times (today, Thu, Oct 23)

• Thunder at Pacers — 7:30 PM ET | 12:30 AM UK (Fri) | 1:30 AM Cairo (Fri)

• Nuggets at Warriors — 10:00 PM ET | 3:00 AM UK (Fri) | 4:00 AM Cairo (Fri)

Times are subject to change; check local listings near tip.

Thunder vs Pacers: pace war meets pick-and-roll precision

Few teams push tempo like the Pacers, and few control it better than the Thunder. Expect an early chess match between two All-NBA engines: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s slow-burn isolation mastery against Tyrese Haliburton’s warp-speed orchestration.

What to watch

• Paint touches vs pace: Oklahoma City prefers to slice the lane and collapse help; Indiana wants quick-hitting threes before the defense sets. The first quarter will tell you which rhythm wins.

• Wings on the glass: Second-chance points swing this matchup. If OKC’s length on the perimeter limits long rebounds, the Pacers’ transition faucet tightens.

• Late-game counters: Haliburton’s two-for-one game management is elite; SGA’s foul-draw and midrange patience close doors just as well. Whichever star earns more trips to the line likely decides it.

Expected starters (subject to pregame updates)

• Thunder: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Josh Giddey, Jalen Williams, Luguentz Dort, Chet Holmgren

• Pacers: Tyrese Haliburton, Bennedict Mathurin, Aaron Nesmith, Pascal Siakam, Myles Turner

X-factor: Chet Holmgren vs Myles Turner at the arc. If Chet’s pick-and-pop forces Turner out, OKC opens driving lanes; if Turner protects the rim without conceding threes, the Pacers can run.

Nuggets vs Warriors: Jokic’s orchestration vs Splash-era spacing

The late game delivers a stylistic classic. Nikola Jokic bends coverages until they break; Stephen Curry stretches them until they snap. Denver’s continuity remains the league’s gold standard, while Golden State leans into speed, passing, and lineup versatility to create corner threes and back-cuts.

What to watch

• Dribble-handoff maze: Denver’s handoff game with Jokic at the elbow punishes ball-watching. Golden State must top-lock cutters and switch in sync, or the Nuggets’ weak-side corner will feast.

• Bench pulse: Denver’s rotation continuity is a strength; Golden State’s second unit has to manufacture quality looks without overtaxing Curry’s off-ball mileage.

• Rebounding discipline: Missed threes turn into runouts. If the Warriors keep Denver off the offensive glass while staying out of foul trouble, they can tilt the possession battle.

Expected starters (subject to pregame updates)

• Nuggets: Jamal Murray, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Michael Porter Jr., Aaron Gordon, Nikola Jokic

• Warriors: Stephen Curry, Brandin Podziemski, Andrew Wiggins, Draymond Green, Kevon Looney

X-factor: Aaron Gordon’s cutting and defensive versatility. His ability to guard up and down the lineup and punish switches with baseline dives can swing non-Jokic minutes.

Early-season stakes and trends

• Shot quality vs shot volume: Indiana and Golden State will attempt to win on attempts—pace and threes—while Oklahoma City and Denver prioritize shot quality and free throws.

• Turnover tax: Both games feature high-IQ playmaking; any team that loses the turnover battle by 4+ will face a math problem it can’t solve from deep.

• Whistle management: With stars who live in the paint or off movement, foul trouble can flip rotations fast. Watch early whistles on rim protectors (Turner, Holmgren, Looney) and point-of-attack stoppers.

Viewing tips and fan checklist

• Arrive early: The first six minutes in both matchups set tone and tempo—critical against teams that snowball leads.

• Track lineups: Note which bench combos survive without their star; it signals coaching trust that matters by December.

• Don’t chase heat checks: Both games can swing on 9–0 bursts. The calmer team out of timeouts usually steadies first.

Quick picks (entertainment only)

• Thunder at Pacers: Lean Thunder by a bucket if they win the free-throw and turnover margins; Pacers if they crack 40 threes attempted with decent efficiency.

• Nuggets at Warriors: Slight edge to Nuggets on continuity and rebounding, but a Curry flurry can erase any lean in two possessions.

Two games, four All-NBA anchors, and plenty of tactical theater. Whether you’re here for star duels or scheme junkie details, tonight’s slate offers a clean read on how each team wants to win—and how opponents plan to break those habits before they harden.