This Week's Two Jazz Games Are About Minutes, Not Wins
Denver's only games this week are two preseason meetings with Utah, and the real story is which of last season's most productive lineups can still be assembled without Bruce Brown and P. Watson.
The Nuggets host the Jazz October 4 and play at Utah two days later, both preseason. Two of last season's three best five-man groups relied on players no longer with the team, making these low-stakes games the first look at what replaces that chemistry.
A Home-and-Home With Nothing to Scout
Every game on Denver's schedule this week is against Utah, home October 4 and away October 6. A back-to-back look at one opponent tells Adelman little about scheme, but plenty about how a group holds up on short rest, which is closer to what matters once the regular season opens October 22 at Oklahoma City. Utah went through its own retooling this summer, but Denver's group is the one actually being tested.
The Lineups That Won't Take the Floor
Last season's second- and third-most effective five-man groups both ran through Jokic and Murray, but both also featured Bruce Brown, now with the Knicks, and P. Watson, not part of this year's roster. Those two units posted net ratings of plus-17.5 and plus-14.8 in extended minutes last season. Replacing that production starts in games that don't count.
Who's Actually Out
Trevon Brazile is the only name on the injury report, day-to-day with an undisclosed issue and an estimated return of October 1, three days before the opener against Utah. Aaron Gordon isn't listed, though his status swung between day-to-day and cleared once already this September. That's rare after a month of heavy roster churn, and it lets Adelman treat the Utah games as a chance to sort real minutes rather than manage absences.
What Continuity Looks Like Now
The group that produced Denver's best net rating last season, plus-20.1 with Jokic, Murray, Cameron Johnson, P. Watson and Spencer Jones on the floor together, keeps three of five pieces intact. That overlap, not the new frontcourt names, is the clearest path back to the passing offense Denver built its identity on, and these two Jazz games are the first chance to test it.
Who does Denver play this week?
The Nuggets play the Utah Jazz twice in preseason, at home October 4 and on the road October 6.
Is Aaron Gordon playing in the preseason opener?
Gordon isn't on the injury report, though his status flipped between day-to-day and cleared earlier in September. Trevon Brazile is the only player listed day-to-day, with an estimated return of October 1.
