Utah @ Denver preview
Ball Arena
Last Meeting ( Jan 10, 2024 ) Denver 111, Utah 124
Despite being the midst of what was expected to be a transition season, the Utah Jazz sat at 26-26 a month ago, not far out of a possible play-in seed in the Western Conference.
They aren't in that position anymore, though, after losing nine of their last 11 games. And it doesn't get easier when they visit the Denver Nuggets on Saturday night.
The teams have split the first two of the four-game season series, with each winning on its home court. Utah's 13-point win on Jan. 10 came during a streak where the Jazz won nine of 10. The win against the Nuggets, Utah's third in a string of six straight wins, was particularly impressive because Denver had its full roster active.
Things have gone south since for the Jazz. They are struggling while still trying to figure out how their roster fits together, including John Collins, who was acquired from the Atlanta Hawks last summer.
Collins is averaging 14.6 points and 8.6 rebounds in 59 games this season, although he has improved on those numbers in three March games, averaging 20 points and 11.3 rebounds.
"I think our team understands John much better," head coach Will Hardy told the Salt Lake Tribune. "I think early in the season we were getting him the ball a little bit late on some of those pick-and-rolls and I think the team's done a good job adjusting to John, and they're hitting him in stride a little bit more."
Saturday night will be a test against a Nuggets team that has picked up its play since the All-Star break. Denver has won seven of eight, including a thrilling 115-109 win over Boston on Thursday night, which came two nights after blowing a late lead in an overtime loss to Phoenix.
Nikola Jokic recorded his 20th triple-double of the season against the Celtics, securing the mark when he fed Aaron Gordon for a dunk in the fourth quarter. While the Jokic-Jamal Murray two-man game gets plenty of attention, Jokic and Gordon have developed a strong chemistry.
"When you give him the ball, he is going to dunk it," Jokic said after Thursday's win. "Sometimes I don't even need to look because I know where he is. I just need to throw it out there and he is going to get it most of the time."
Gordon's highlight on Thursday was when he followed Jokic's missed layup with a one-handed put-back dunk to give Denver a seven-point lead with 2:06 left. Gordon finished with 16 points and nine rebounds.
Jokic had his right elbow wrapped when he was on the bench in the fourth quarter but he said it was "good, a little sore. I just hit it."
The Nuggets are clustered at the top of the Western Conference standings where four teams are within three games of the No. 1 spot. Denver is third -- a game behind the Oklahoma City Thunder and a half-game behind the Minnesota Timberwolves.
The close race makes home games even more valuable for the Nuggets. They have 10 remaining, starting with Utah, and nine left on the road.
"Any game that we win on our home floor is huge," Gordon said.
--Field Level Media