What’s up with the Utah Jazz?
The Utah Jazz have been on a tear to start the season. They have won four of their first five games despite undergoing massive changes in the offseason and losing their franchise cornerstones in Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert.
Lauri Markkanen is leading the charge for the Jazz, averaging 22.0 points, 8.8 rebounds, and 3.0 assists in five games. Jordan Clarkson, former Sixth Man of the Year, has been easing into his new role as a starter, while Collin Sexton has also been showing out.
The Jazz have only lost once against Houston, but they have since avenged that loss by beating the Rockets on the road. Nobody expected them to perform this way given the circumstances heading into the season, but here they are, surprising the league with their strong start.
What’s up with the Denver Nuggets?
Unlike the Jazz, the Denver Nuggets entered the season with more expectations as one of the favorites in the West. So far, they have been inconsistent. They are coming off a win over the Los Angeles Lakers, but they got blown out by the Portland Trail Blazers earlier this week.
Reigning MVP Nikola Jokic, as expected, has been the anchor of the team with his near-triple double averages (22.4 points, 10.8 rebounds, 9.4 assists). They are still in the process of reincorporating Michael Porter Jr. and Jamal Murray, who are both trying to gain back their rhythm after a long layoff.
Storyline to watch out for
The first time these two teams met in their season opener, the Jazz stunned the Nuggets with a 123-102 victory. Sexton took charge in that game with 20 points, while six other Jazz scored in double-figures.
''We all have chips on our shoulders. Everyone here wants to show people that we're a tough team,'' Sexton said post-game.
Expect Jokic and the Nuggets to come out more aggressively this time as they hope to avoid another upset. They are still heavily favored given their loaded roster but if the Jazz continue their winning ways, it would no longer be surprising at this point.
