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The Utah Jazz will look to snap a four-game skid when they take on the Denver Nuggets at Ball Arena on Sunday.
The Jazz are coming off a 91-111 loss against the Cleveland Cavaliers. Their last win came against the Denver Nuggets earlier this month, when they claimed a 115-109 win. Utah will be hoping to replicate that showing and return to winning ways.
Meanwhile, the Nuggets have won four of their last five games and two in a row. They defeated the LA Lakers 133-96 in their previous outing.
Match Details
Fixture: Utah Jazz vs Denver Nuggets | NBA Season 2021-22
Date & Time: Sunday, January 16, 8:00 PM ET [Monday, January 17, 6:30 AM IST]
Venue: Ball Arena, Denver, CO.
Utah Jazz Preview
The Utah Jazz have struggled massively on defense in the absence of Rudy Gobert over their last few games. He returns after a five-game absence, giving the Jazz a great chance to get back on track following their four-game skid.
Utah had to deal with a lack of depth at the center position in their previous outing against the Cavaliers. They were expected to struggle against the Cavs' frontcourt trio of Lauri Markkanen, Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen, all seven-footers. The Jazz were outrebounded 32-50 and struggled to score in the paint due to their lack of size.
The Utah Jazz offense was surprisingly underwhelming as they recorded just 11 team assists. They shot only 40% from the floor, making just 11 trips to the foul line. Gobert's return should give them a decent chance at beating the in-form Denver Nuggets, but it will require a team effort from Quin Snyder's side to prevail in this contest.
Key Player - Rudy Gobert
Rudy Gobert will face a stern test upon his return as he will be taking on reigning MVP Nikola Jokic when the Utah Jazz face the Denver Nuggets. Gobert will also need to be active on offense to give the Jazz an opportunity to score on second-chance points. Denver has been shooting the ball well, so he will have to be efficient in his role as the defensive anchor of the team.
Utah Jazz Predicted Lineup
G - Donovan Mitchell, G - Mike Conley, F - Bojan Bogdanovic, F - Royce O'Neale, C - Rudy Gobert.
Denver Nuggets Preview
The Denver Nuggets have produced their best performances this season over their two-game winning stretch. They have won by a combined margin of 69 points over those two matches.
Denver received contributions from all their active players in their last game against the LA Lakers. Nikola Jokic did not have much of an impact scoring-wise, but made sure his teammates were able to play off of him as he recorded 17 points, 13 rebounds and 12 assists. Meanwhile, Bones Hyland played a great game off the bench, tallying a team-high 28 points and ten rebounds.
The Denver Nuggets were quick to get out in transition on offense and did an excellent job of closing out the Lakers defensively. Denver shot the lights out from 3-point range, making 23 3-pointers on the night. They could be in for a fifth win in six games if they can replicate that performance again.
Key Player - Jeff Green
Jeff Green has emerged as an efficient scoring option for the Nuggets over their last few games. In their last four wins, the forward has scored more than 15 points in each of those games. Green scored 26 points in the win against the Lakers, shooting 71.4% from the field.
Jeff Green's effort took significant pressure of Jokic, giving the Nuggets offense a dynamic look altogether. Denver's chances of beating the Utah Jazz will receive a boost if he can continue to perform like this.
Denver Nuggets Predicted Lineup
G - Monte Morris, G - Will Barton, F - Aaron Gordon, F - Jeff Green, C - Nikola Jokic.
Jazz vs Nuggets Match Prediction
The Denver Nuggets will have momentum on their side entering this game. They have also established themselves as a difficult team to beat when they are playing at home. These factors give them the upper hand against an underperforming Utah Jazz side. But with Gobert back, it won't necessarily be an easy game for the Nuggets, so they will have to play with great discipline.
Where to watch Jazz vs Nuggets
AT&T SportsNet Rocky Mountain and Altitude will provide local TV coverage of the game between the Jazz and Nuggets. Fans can also view the match online via NBA League Pass.
Guess the Lakers players!
