Jazz Show Life, Fall To Nuggets On Road
Oct 30, 2023, 9:23 PM | Updated: Oct 31, 2023, 10:43 am
SALT LAKE CITY – The Utah Jazz fell to the Denver Nuggets 110-102 dropping to 1-3 on the season.
Lauri Markkanen led the Jazz with 27 points while Walker Kessler added 22 points and 13 rebounds.
Nikola Jokic scored 27 to lead the Nuggets.
First Quarter
The Nuggets jumped out to an early 14-5 run behind six quick points from Jamal Murray.
The Jazz answered with a 9-2 run to close the game to two at the six minute mark.
.@keyonte1george ➡️ @jcollins20_ 💪
The rookie and the veteran link up for an alley-oop slam dunk in the Mile High City. #TakeNote #UTAvsDEN https://t.co/kd4bM3VgWO
— KSL Sports (@kslsports) October 31, 2023
Denver shot just under 60 percent from the floor in the opening quarter while the Jazz shot 36 percent.
After one the Jazz trailed the Nuggets 31-21.
Second Quarter
John Collins carried the offensive load for the Jazz in the second quarter scoring nine points on 4-7 shooting.
After trailing 49-32 midway through the second quarter the Jazz reeled off a 13-4 run to rim the deficit to eight, 53-45.
.@jcollins20_ is a 🪣.#TakeNote #UTAvsDEN https://t.co/MiuAHx5v53
— KSL Sports (@kslsports) October 31, 2023
Collins had 13 points to lead the Jazz while Aaron Gordon led all scorers with 14.
At the half, the Jazz trailed the Nuggets 58-45.
Third Quarter
The Jazz starters had a strong stint to open the third quarter trimming the Nuggets’ lead to 11, 64-56.
Rather than making an early sub as Will Hardy has done all season, he stuck with the starters for the first nearly nine minutes of the quarter.
.@MarkkanenLauri looks to be in midseason form. 😤💪🏀#TakeNote #UTAvsDEN https://t.co/CkNzr4GX1x
— KSL Sports (@kslsports) October 31, 2023
The Jazz outscored the Nuggets 24-22 in the quarter, fueled by 15 points and 11 rebounds from Walker Kessler.
After three the Jazz trailed Denver 80-69.
Fourth Quarter
The Jazz opened the quarter on an 11-5 run and cut their deficit to just five three minutes into the fourth.
Nikola subbed back into the game for Denver and pushed the Nuggets lead back to double-digits on three straight possessions.
Mr. Double-Double is back. 🫡#TakeNote #UTAvsDEN @WalkerKessler13 https://t.co/BfuxZ5YlnW
— KSL Sports (@kslsports) October 31, 2023
The Jazz trimmed the deficit to five, 103-98 with 90 seconds left to play, but couldn’t close the gap any further.
With the 110-102 loss, the Jazz fall to 1-3 on the season.
Ben Anderson is the Utah Jazz insider for KSL Sports and the co-host of Jake and Ben from 10-12p with Jake Scott on 97.5 The KSL Sports Zone. Find Ben on Twitter at @BensHoops or on Instagram @BensHoops.