Nuggets at Jazz
The Denver Nuggets aim to beat Utah for the second time in seven days when they visit the Jazz on Wednesday. All-Star center Nikola Jokic recorded 28 points and 10 assists as the Nuggets posted a 106-100 home victory over visiting Utah on Thursday.
Denver has won 11 of its last 16 games and rolled to an easy 127-99 home win over the Portland Trail Blazers on Tuesday but the squad has lost in each of its past nine visits to Salt Lake City. Jokic stood out against Portland with 29 points, 13 rebounds, nine assists and three blocked shots as the Nuggets posted their second-largest margin of victory this season. Utah has dropped a season-worst four straight games and was blown out 124-107 in Portland on Saturday. "No need to panic but we've got to figure it out," Jazz All-Star shooting guard Donovan Mitchell told reporters. "It's a complete 180 to where we were about a week ago so we've got to lock in and fix it, otherwise it's going to be a (bad) All-Star break."
TIME: 9 p.m. ET. TV: Altitude, AT&T SportsNet Rocky Mountain, Sportsnet One
ABOUT THE NUGGETS (35-16): Point guard Jamal Murray returned from a 10-game absence because of an ankle injury to contribute 20 points and six assists in only 20 minutes against Portland. "We had a great team game," Murray, a fourth-year pro, said in a postgame television interview. "I was happy, I missed it. That is the longest streak I've ever been out (10 games). So a big win feels good." Swingman Will Barton was 4-of-4 from 3-point range as one of five Denver players to make at least three - Murray was one - in a 17-of-34 team effort.
ABOUT THE JAZZ (32-17): Utah has enjoyed a mini-break after the Portland loss and coach Quin Snyder is hoping the slump serves as a reminder that failures can sometimes lead to improvement. "If you do those things you get a better gauge of where you are, I think that's what we're getting right now," Snyder told reporters Tuesday. "You may not like it, it may not feel good. It always feels good to win, but at the same time maybe on some level it's what a team needs to take more steps." Mitchell scored 25 points against the Trail Blazers one game after matching his season low with four points on 1-of-12 shooting versus the Nuggets.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. The Jazz had beaten the Nuggets three straight times prior to last week's setback.
2. Utah backup G Jordan Clarkson scored a season-best 37 points in the recent meeting with the Nuggets.
3. Denver F Jerami Grant (ankle) departed in the fourth quarter and coach Michael Malone said he was unsure if he will be available against the Jazz.