Game Preview
The Denver Nuggets (17-13) roll into Salt Lake City riding a modest one-game winning streak, looking to extend their hot shooting against the struggling Utah Jazz (7-23). While the Jazz have dropped three straight and sit firmly at the bottom of the standings, the Nuggets have been hovering around .500, buoyed by an explosive offense averaging 120.1 points per contest.
Denver's scoring prowess stems from their efficient shooting, knocking down a blistering 50.2 percent from the field and 38.5 percent from deep on the season. They've been even better of late, averaging 124.6 points over their last 10 games while shooting a scorching 53.1 percent overall and dishing out 33 assists per night.
Conversely, Utah has struggled mightily on both ends, yielding 119.4 points per game while mustering just 110.6 points themselves. Their shooting numbers pale in comparison, hitting 46 percent of their field goals and a meager 36.9 percent from three-point range. While the Jazz have upped their scoring slightly to 115 points over their last five outings, they've failed to slow down opponents, allowing 114.6 points over that same stretch.
Key Matchup: Rebounding Battle - The Nuggets and Jazz have been nearly even on the glass this season, with Denver grabbing 44.8 boards per game compared to Utah's 44.9. However, the Jazz have taken a clear edge recently, outrebounding opponents by a 50.4 to 44.8 margin over their last five games. If Utah can continue crashing the boards, it could offset some of Denver's scoring advantage.