Jazz Face Nuggets For First Time Since 2020 NBA Playoffs
Jan 16, 2021, 6:11 PM
Donovan Mitchell #45 of the Utah Jazz dunks against the Denver Nuggets during the second half of Game Three of first round playoffs at the AdventHealth Arena at the ESPN Wide World Of Sports Complex on August 21, 2020 in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. (Photo by Ashley Landis-Pool/Getty Images)
(Photo by Ashley Landis-Pool/Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – For the first time since the 2020 thrilling NBA Playoff series in the bubble, the Utah Jazz and the Denver Nuggets will clash once again.
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The Jazz and Nuggets went seven games in the NBA Playoffs in 2020 while in the bubble in Orlando, Florida. Denver pulled out an 80-78 win over Utah in Game 7. The Jazz had a 3-1 series lead before Denver won the last three games.
Donovan Mitchell scored over 40 points in three of those games, including 57 points in Game 1 and 51 in Game 4. Jamal Murray had a tremendous series, scoring 50 points in both Game 4 and Game 6. Denver went on to beat the Clippers in the second round before the Los Angeles Lakers eliminated them in five games in the Western Conference Finals.
Now, the two teams will clash for the first time in the 2020-21 season on Sunday, January 17 in Denver.
Different Nuggets Team In 2021
Denver has played well recently after starting the season with a 1-4 record. They are 5-2 since that stretch and enter the game against the Jazz with a 6-6 record. The Nuggets beat Houston, Minnesota twice, Philadelphia, New York and Golden State. Their losses came against Sacramento twice, LA Clippers, Phoenix, Dallas and Brooklyn.
The Nuggets lost Jerami Grant to free agency, while picking up Zeke Nnaji (Arizona) and R.J. Hampton in the NBA Draft. Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray are still the dynamic duo in the Mile High city.
Jokic is averaging a triple-double with 24.2 points, 11.2 rebounds and 10.4 assists per game in 12 contests. Murray is posting 19.5 points and 4 assists per game. Michael Porter Jr. is having a great season, recording 19.5 points and 6.8 rebounds per game.
Weekend work. #MileHighBasketball pic.twitter.com/ieANBVlMHa
— Denver Nuggets (@nuggets) January 16, 2021
Jazz On Four-Game Winning Streak
After losing back-to-back games to Brooklyn and New York while on their six-game road trip, the Jazz have rattled off four straight wins. They knocked off Milwaukee, Detroit and Cleveland on the road, while beating Atlanta at home on Friday, 116-92.
Donovan Mitchell is a big reason for the winning streak as the Jazz All-Star has scored over 26 points in each of those games, including 32 points in the win over the Hawks.
Rudy Gobert has pounded the glass during the streak as well, grabbing double digit rebounds in the last seven games. Mike Conley has been distributing the ball with 5 or more assists in the last six games.
Let’s go to Denver ✈️ pic.twitter.com/RMBiB8bIKo
— utahjazz (@utahjazz) January 16, 2021
Joe Ingles and Juwan Morgan will not play on Sunday against the Nuggets.
Tip-off between Utah and Denver will be at 6 p.m. MST on AT&T SportsNet. The Jazz will return to Salt Lake City to play six straight and seven of their next eight at Vivint Smart Home Arena.
