The Denver Nuggets won a firefight with the Utah Jazz 128-125 in a very oddly-paced game. The Nuggets had 35 free throws and the Jazz had 26, but a key sixth foul on Nikola Jokic was overturned in the final minute of the game upon review and Denver snuck away with the ugly win instead of the uglier loss. Jamal Murray had a terrific shooting night, putting up 45 points on 19 shots to go with 8 assists but also 7 turnovers. The Nuggets gave up 27 points on those turnovers and scored only 8, as that helped Utah keep pace all night, and Jokic put up 22 points and 12 rebounds but just 5 assists as the Jazz swarmed and fronted him with smaller players to deny him possession and position. Keyonte George was terrific scoring for the Jazz with 36 points, and Kyle Filipowski add 19 points, 8 rebounds and 6 assists in a good showing against Denver’s front court, but in the end the Jazz fans watched their team get a close loss to help their efforts to get a top draft pick, while Denver fans watched the Nuggets win ugly – but win just the same.

Game Flow

Denver began with both Nikola Jokic and Jonas Valanciunas in the game together as starters. The teams swapped fouls and free throw shots, then Jamal Murray committed a turnover for a Utah run-out. Jonas powered up a shot at the rim, Julian Strawther missed a three, and Keyonte George buried a jumper for Utah. Jokic committed the next turnover to start the Utah fast-break game that turned into more free throws and it was 8-4 Utah early. Murray made a pullup, then stopped a break after he missed a three. Denver had another turnover for points and Adelman was forced to take a timeout. Jamal Murray hit a banked paint shot, then Christian Braun finished a fast break off a Jokic rebound to tie it at 10. Braun threw an oop to Tim Hardaway Jr, then Christian hit a corner three the next time down. Jamal got free throws in transition and then a corner three of his own to push Denver’s lead to 8. The Jazz made a pair of threes but THJ hit a baseline finish. John Konchar hit a three and Ace Bailey made a runner to give Utah the lead back at 23-22, but Jokic finished a pair of paint shots to answer. Joker had free throws, Jalen Pickett hit a three from the top of the key, and a Jokic bank shot weren’t enough as his turnover led to a Svi Mykhailiuk three to end the quarter and put Utah up 34-33 after one.

Murray and Mykhailiuk exchanged threes to open the second quarter, Collier hit a layup and Strawther buried a three as the high pace continued. Strawther and Collier traded twos, Sensabaugh and Pickett traded threes, then Sensabaugh and Strawther trades threes as well as the game started to look more like a three point contest tied at 47. Denver just couldn’t contain the ball as Utah scored inside also. The teams finally missed some deep shots, and Jokic made a floater to cut it to 56-55. A double-teamed Jokic found Bruce Brown cutting but Ace Bailey answered right back. Christian Braun hit a jumper, George and Jokic traded floaters, and a Jokic block turned into a Murray three. But just like at the end of the first half, the Jazz hit a last-second three and entered the break leading Denver 67-66.

Christian Braun started the scoring with a transition bucket, then found Strawther the next time down for a three. Murray’s three put Denver up 7 after an 8-0 run to start the quarter, and Jonas Valanciunas answered Ace Bailey’s free throws with a made shot over two defenders. The Jazz got back to the line, Murray made another tough bucket, and Big Val got a traditional three-point play. Jamal Murray had another bad turnover and then traveled while the Jazz just kept marching to the line to close their deficit to 81-79. Filipowski tied it at 81, Murray banked in a three, then nailed another and Julian Strawther finished a Jokic transition start with a layup. Nikola’s interior defense still wasn’t stopping anyone though as the Jazz buckets and free throw trips continued. Bailey’s turnaround closed the gap back to 2, and Joker got called his fourth foul for throwing down one of the Jazz players holding him and Utah retook the lead from the stripe. Jamal Murray answered with a corner three, then Jonas came in and got a bucket and free throws while Jamal hit another tough one and Denver finally lead after a quarter, heading into the fourth up 100-93.

Jokic came back in to start the fourth and Denver couldn’t buy a bucket for three minutes. Denver botched finishes, with Bruce Brown screaming at a ref, and Joker’s attempt at a defensive rebound went in for Utah. Strawther finally got to the line at 8:37 for Denver’s first points of the quarter, and Jokic found Brown for a layup to take the lead back to 7 at 104-97. Christian Braun got Denver into the bonus and to the line for more points, but Utah answered with a Mykhailiuk three. Jokic finished over two players, but got his fifth foul moments later. Filipowski hit a three and then a paint finish for Utah, Jalen Pickett and Big Val got to the line for Denver, and Denver clung to a 112-107 lead with five minutes to go. Keyonte George hit a three then a great finish at the rack, but Murray’s trips to the free throw line kept Denver barely ahead until George’s next three for a personal 10-point scoring run put Utah up 117-116. Jamal made Denver’s first field goal in four minutes to cross the 40 point mark, but Ace Bailey answered right back and then George had a breakaway dunk to put Denver down four with two minutes to go. Jokic had crucial free throws to tie it but then George had a traditional three-point play. Murray hit a fadeaway, George turned the ball over, and Murray hit a pair of free throws to put Denver up one. Jokic was whistled for his 6th foul on a driving George but the referees overturned it on review as a clean play on the ball and Denver got back to the line the other way. Jokic got fouled with the clock winding down and made both shots. George missed a three in the final seconds that could have tied it and Denver walked away with the 128-125 win.

Final Thoughts

-A win is a win. It was a terrible game to watch, and Denver tried to fumble the bag many times. Utah got everything it wanted on offense except the final shot, and thanks to Murray’s firepower Denver just outlasted them. The Nuggets made a ton of mistakes and have to resolve the “smaller defenders mugging Jokic” defense because it works, so counters are needed. Their defense desperately needs Aaron Gordon, Peyton Watson and Spencer Jones back (not to mention Cam Johnson who was also out as Utah’s perimeter players butchered us). But for the night, a win is enough. An ugly win is far better than an ugly loss, which was the alternative. Denver will get the chance to clean it up as they play much better opponents the rest of the week, but at least there’s this victory first.