Utah Jazz vs Denver Nuggets: How to Watch, Odds and Game Preview (October 4)

The Utah Jazz will open their preseason Sunday against the Denver Nuggets in Boulder, Colorado. With several key pieces either new to the roster or coming off extended absences, the exhibition matchup will provide Utah with its first opportunity to build chemistry in a game setting. The final score won’t mean much, but the first look at how this new-look Jazz roster fits together certainly will.

For Utah, this preseason opener is much more about the process than the result. This is a roster that hasn’t played many minutes together, particularly among the players expected to make up the starting lineup.

Damian Lillard is a brand-new piece, while Jaren Jackson Jr. played limited action with Utah last season before suffering a season-ending injury. Lauri Markkanen also missed significant time, so simply getting that core on the floor together and beginning to establish chemistry will be valuable.

The Jazz expect to take a significant step forward this season, and doing so will require this group to become a well-oiled machine relatively quickly. These preseason games offer an opportunity to implement what Utah has worked on throughout training camp, learn how the new pieces fit together and get everyone back into game shape ahead of the regular-season opener later this month.

There will also be opportunities deeper in the rotation with Kyle Filipowski, Josh Green and Brice Sensabaugh all ruled out for the preseason opener. More than anything, this game should be evaluated through the smaller developments, individual improvements and lineup combinations rather than the final box score. Staying healthy while taking the first step toward being ready for Game 1 is the priority.

Following this contest, the Jazz will return to Salt Lake City for another preseason matchup against the Nuggets on Tuesday night.