Game 1: Denver Nuggets @ Utah Jazz 7pmMT

[Powder Blue]

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Jazz favored by 2.5. Apparently all players are healthy, be interesting to see what this 9-man rotation looks like.

[psimanic1]

I guess it will look like 10 or 11 players rotation
I hope we can win this one, lets see what Murray can do when he is not injured!

[skywalker33]

Being it's a road game, most won't see this as doable for us, but if we are going to establish ourselves as a team, this would be a good starting place. Gobert should be taken out of position with Jokic at the top of the key or the elbow, neutralizing his effectiveness. Favors is a bit of a mystery, will he/has he returned to form ?? Regardless, Milsap should be able to get over on him. Rubio is an experienced vet who should be able to mess with Murray, but Jamal should be able to score on him. Hood has the size advantage over Harris, this will be a good matchup here. Chandler should be able to take Ingles so I give DEN's starting unit the advantage. I do see the benches as being strengths for both teams but I'll go homer here as it looks like Barton will be back.

Nuggets by 5

[NuggetsWY]

Being it's a road game, most won't see this as doable for us, but if we are going to establish ourselves as a team, this would be a good starting place. Gobert should be taken out of position with Jokic at the top of the key or the elbow, neutralizing his effectiveness. Favors is a bit of a mystery, will he/has he returned to form ?? Regardless, Milsap should be able to get over on him. Rubio is an experienced vet who should be able to mess with Murray, but Jamal should be able to score on him. Hood has the size advantage over Harris, this will be a good matchup here. Chandler should be able to take Ingles so I give DEN's starting unit the advantage. I do see the benches as being strengths for both teams but I'll go homer here as it looks like Barton will be back.

Nuggets by 5

Nice analysis - on the Jazz board there's discussion about who Gobert should cover, Jokic or Millsap. I think their consensus is Jokic but they too can see some issues there.

Who scores for the Nuggets tonight? I'm not sold on Malone's modified offense this preseason. Why change from Jokic-centric on almost every trip down? The Nuggets want to win; the starters have to score 70-80 points IMO. Bench scoring? Barton & Hernangomez, not convinced anyone else on the bench will score much.

Nuggets can send a serious message if they win and I want them to, but I'm not convinced they will, especially if it's as close as you say Sky. They haven't proven to me that they can win a close game.

Nuggets by 12 or Jazz by 4.

[ducler]

[skywalker33]

Up by 9 in the first qtr, Barton already in double digits, Harris, Chandler and Milsap putting in the work too. Jokic 5rebs/4ast/2pts

[Powder Blue]

Not a bad 1st half, pack the paint and make Utah beat us by making shots, it’s unlikely to happen if we can keep scoring.


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[skywalker33]

PG is looking a BIT "iffy" so far, Barton looking like a major keeper so far !!

[THE J0KER]

According to the first half of opening match, we panicking without reason about our SF and PG situation. Our SF Burton playing like all-star, and our PG Jokic playmaking like a boss.

[skywalker33]

According to the first half of opening match, we panicking without reason about our SF and PG situation. Our SF Burton playing like all-star, and our PG Jokic playmaking like a boss.

Jokic on his way to another DD with 7pts/8rebs/6ast at the half

[skywalker33]

8pt lead going into the 4th qtr, Murray showing signs of life in the 2nd halp, Joker closer to his double-double but needs to place himself into the scoring mode.

[Powder Blue]

17-2 run by the Jazz....


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[Yuri Vaultin]

I kinda feel bad for Mudiay here looking at the +/-. Since the guy has been on the floor every single one of his team mates have turned the ball over multiple times... often back to back. Granted the kid hasn't been putting the ball in the hoop but the spacing seems to be dreadful for him to drive and kick the ball. Plumlee has been out of control.

[Powder Blue]

Barton being the sixth man AND closing PG isn’t going to work. I get he had a really nice 1st half and deserved some extra minutes but he’s scored 2 in the 2nd.

Letting the bench stay on the court when the run started killed us. Run up to 27-3 run with 3:40 to play to go with 9 turnovers.

Ran out of gas? Maybe idk, it’s only game 1 but J Nelson probably getting a chuckle from this.


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[SoCalNuggsFan]

This is why I wanted to go after one of the max SFs next offseason. You need the guy that can get the bucket to stop that run at 9-2. Utah gets the momentum, crowd is in to it, whistle always goes toward the team with momentum, and we don’t have anyone that can calm everything down.

[skywalker33]

Looks like the Nuggets took a 4th qtr VACATION. I've been one of Malone's defenders in the past but this is bad management IMO.

Chandler didn't look like a veteran leader AT ALL, -23 shows he still wants out IMO !

[Powder Blue]

This is why I wanted to go after one of the max SFs next offseason. You need the guy that can get the bucket to stop that run at 9-2. Utah gets the momentum, crowd is in to it, whistle always goes toward the team with momentum, and we don’t have anyone that can calm everything down.

Agreed...however when that run got going Denver was turning the ball over seconds into every possession, couldn’t even get setup. A lil defensive pressure and they folded. One of those guys they paid has got to be able to get the ball and get a bucket.

[NuggetsWY]

Looks like the Nuggets took a 4th qtr VACATION. I've been one of Malone's defenders in the past but this is bad management IMO.

I haven't been one of Malone's defenders (well, most of the 1st year I defended him a little).

Fascinating game and not in a good way.

Outscored in the 4th quarter by 28-13 and that's not counting the massive run at the end of the 3rd quarter. That would have made it 37-15 in the last 14 minutes.

Malone said he wanted Jokic to play 32 mpg and he gave him 31 minutes with 10 minutes to go in the game and then sat him down until the game was out of reach. Maybe he should have rationed his minutes earlier.

Jokic only had 10 shots.
Harris only had 7 shots.
Mudiay had as many minutes as Murray but his +/- was -12 and Murray was +9.
Malone basically had an 8-man rotation.
Faried barely got a chance to warm up.
Hernangomez had ZERO shots?

[Powder Blue]

Looks like the Nuggets took a 4th qtr VACATION. I've been one of Malone's defenders in the past but this is bad management IMO.

I haven't been one of Malone's defenders (well, most of the 1st year I defended him a little).

Fascinating game and not in a good way.

Outscored in the 4th quarter by 28-13 and that's not counting the massive run at the end of the 3rd quarter. That would have made it 37-15 in the last 14 minutes.

Malone said he wanted Jokic to play 32 mpg and he gave him 31 minutes with 10 minutes to go in the game and then sat him down until the game was out of reach. Maybe he should have rationed his minutes earlier.

Jokic only had 10 shots.
Harris only had 7 shots.
Mudiay had as many minutes as Murray but his +/- was -12 and Murray was +9.
Malone basically had an 8-man rotation.
Faried barely got a chance to warm up.
Hernangomez had ZERO shots?

Looking at the box score I don’t see anyone that shot too much....but I see 21 turnovers, so a lot of wasted possessions.

[Lava Rock Kid]

Defense needs real improvement. They allowed a bad offensive team to drop 106 points