Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokić's talent makes Denver an elite team. Paired with a skilled supporting cast, including guard Jamal Murray and forward Aaron Gordon, it makes the Nuggets genuine title contenders.

Yes, but: The past two seasons following Denver's 2023 title turned into frustrating chapters, with maddeningly early playoff exits at the height of Jokić's power.

Why it matters: The new-look Nuggets now boast a roster that can contend with any NBA team. And if the Joker continues his MVP-caliber play, Denver could end this season with another victory parade in LoDo.

State of play: Forward Cam Johnson will immediately join the starting lineup, effectively replacing Michael Porter Jr., who was traded to the Brooklyn Nets.

• Lithuanian center Jonas Valančiūnas is another key newcomer, serving a pivotal role as Jokić's backup, which the team has lacked the past several seasons.

Between the lines: Guard Christian Braun signaled his intent to stay in Denver this week after signing a five-year, $125 million contract extension.

• Braun has blossomed into one of the league's top fast-break scorers.

The intrigue: Head coach David Alderman should get a full season to prove he's a worthy successor to Michael Malone after guiding the Nuggets to a 3-0 record to end the regular season last year and a first-round playoff series win.

📺 What we're watching: The team's title run begins tonight against the Golden State Warriors, a 2010s dynasty Denver hopes to emulate.

• Tipoff is 8pm on ESPN.

Pass to a Nuggs fan

Colorado food banks are preparing for record demand as the federal government shutdown is poised to leave more than 600,000 residents without money for groceries.

Why it matters: Not only are families at risk of going hungry, but the temporary suspension of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, known as SNAP, will reverberate through the state's economy.

Driving the news: If the government shutdown continues past Nov. 1, Colorado will not receive $120.5 million in food assistance benefits for low-income residents.

• The average household receives $367 a month, and every dollar spent by recipients creates $1.50 of economic impact in the state, Colorado officials said.

By the numbers: Of the 600,000 currently receiving food stamps, half are children, 10% are elderly and 15% have a disability, per state officials.

What they're saying: "We are facing a crisis unlike anything we've ever seen," said Erin Pulling, CEO of the Food Bank of the Rockies, which serves half the state.

The latest: At a briefing yesterday before he toured a food bank in Colorado Springs, Gov. Jared Polis said the state's crippled budget cannot cover the cost of the food benefits.

• But he announced $10 million in spending from an unspecified account to help food banks prepare for heightened demand through mid-December.

Keep reading

Months after a Denver judge blocked the Polis administration from disclosing documents to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents, the governor is still pursuing the release of the sensitive records.

Why it matters: Gov. Jared Polis' actions, first reported yesterday by the Denver Post, may violate state laws prohibiting cooperation with ICE on most immigration matters. If the documents were released, they could lead to more deportations.

Catch up quick: A federal immigration subpoena is seeking employment records for 10 businesses whose employees sponsored unaccompanied immigrant children, but state legislation that Polis signed in 2021 limits cooperation to criminal matters.

• A Denver judge ruled in April that administration staffers could not release the records.

State of play: Now Polis is using private legal counsel to seek the case's dismissal and allow the release of a limited batch of records to ICE, court documents show.

• The move is generating more controversy and blowback for the governor, who defended his actions when Axios Denver asked about the issue yesterday.
• In response, Polis continued to suggest the subpoenas are connected to a criminal matter even though a judge rejected that premise.

What he's saying

👁️ Denver Mayor Mike Johnston yesterday lengthened a contract with Flock, a company that operates an AI-powered license plate reader system — even though the City Council unanimously rejected the deal in May.

• Johnston says the extension, which runs through March 2026, includes new safeguards that ensure Denver's data can't be accessed by federal immigration agents, Esteban reports.

❌ Nearly 200 Colorado-based positions in the U.S. Interior Department could be cut as part of the Trump administration's plans to lay off 4,100 federal workers during the federal government shutdown. (Colorado Sun)

👶 Child care programs at two of Denver's largest rec centers — Carla Madison and Central Park — are ending Dec. 31 due to the city's budget crisis. (Denverite)

🚗 Denver will bring back its online portal for disputing parking tickets sometime in 2026. The system was shut down last month amid budget cuts, forcing drivers to challenge citations in court and sparking backlash. (Westword)

⚾️ Colorado Rockies catcher Hunter Goodman was named a finalist yesterday for the National League Silver Slugger Award, to be announced Nov. 6. No Colorado catcher has ever won the honor. (SI)

Editor's note: This story contains spoilers from the series finale.

Five Denver couples found love. Three ended their engagements before a wedding. And two made it to the altar — only to turn back around.

Why it matters: For the first time in the nine-season history of Netflix's "Love Is Blind," none of the couples said, "I do."

• In fact, fewer couples made it to the altar compared to previous seasons.

State of play: The dating show's finale aired yesterday and reinforced Denver's reputation as having a horrible dating scene.

What's next: The cast reunion, which airs Oct. 29, will reveal more about the behind-the-scenes drama, and maybe explain why the Denver season is the most loveless one yet.

More finale details