DENVER – The mostly meaningless preseason could be more important for the Denver Nuggets this year.

A five-game slate announced Friday afternoon could be the first time Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr. take the court alongside back-to-back Most Valuable Player Nikola Jokic in nearly two years. Murray hasn’t played since tearing his anterior cruciate ligament in April of last year. Porter was in line for a breakout year in Murray’s absence, but played in just nine regular-season games, averaging 9.9 points on uncharacteristically inefficient shooting numbers, before undergoing the third back surgery of his young career.

Both players said they expected to be healthy for the start of the upcoming season during their end-of-season media availability earlier this summer and have been spotted playing pickup in videos posted to social media in recent weeks. After last season, Murray said he would be willing to play in preseason, but it’s to be determined whether the Nuggets think that’s necessary.

The Oct. 3 preseason opener against the Thunder at Ball Arena will double as Denver fans’ first chance to check out offseason additions Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Bruce Brown, DeAndre Jordan and Ish Smith. A trip to Chicago follows before the Nuggets play their final preseason home game against Phoenix on Oct. 10. From there, Denver heads to California to close the preseason at the Clippers and Warriors, respectively.

Three of Denver’s first 10 regular-season contests will come against teams they faced in the preseason. The Nuggets’ second game of the season is a trip to Golden State before the Oct. 22 home-opener against the Thunder. Denver also travels to Oklahoma City for the eighth game of the regular season.

Broadcast information for the preseason will be released later, according to the team news release.

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Nuggets preseason schedule

Oct. 3: vs. Oklahoma City, 7 p.m.

Oct. 7 at Chicago, 6 p.m.

Oct. 10: vs. Phoenix, 7 p.m.

Oct. 12: at Los Angeles Clippers, 8:30 p.m.

Oct. 14: at Golden State Warriors, 8 p.m.

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