Markkanen and Jazz depth carry preseason opener over Nuggets

The Utah Jazz opened their preseason with a 109–97 win over the Denver Nuggets on Sunday at CU Events Center in Boulder, Colorado. Lauri Markkanen led Utah with 17 points, Keyonte George added 15 and Blake Hinson supplied 14 off the bench as five Jazz players reached double figures.

Utah built its advantage early. The Jazz closed the first quarter on a 19–6 run and finished the period ahead 36–26, according to the team’s postgame report. Eleven assists in that opening quarter helped them recover from a slow offensive start. They took a 63–52 lead into halftime, then matched Denver’s 25 points in the third before winning the last quarter 21–20.

Markkanen made three of his seven three-point attempts and all four free throws in 14 minutes. Jaren Jackson Jr. scored 11 on four-of-seven shooting, and the two forwards finished their work at halftime with a combined 28 points. The NBA’s full-game highlights show the opening exhibition for both clubs.

George remained involved after halftime. KSL Sports’ Chandler Holt reported that the guard went to the locker room after taking a hit to the mouth in the second quarter, then returned in the third. He finished with 15 points, four rebounds and three assists in 21 minutes, making five of eight shots.

The Jazz posted George’s scoring highlights from the opener.

Hinson gave Utah another source of offense as the benches took over. He made four of five three-pointers and grabbed six rebounds, including four on the offensive glass. Mo Bamba added six points and seven rebounds. Isaiah Collier finished with nine points and four assists without a turnover, while Ace Bailey scored ten and collected five rebounds in 20 minutes.

The team’s postgame interview with Hinson followed his 14-point performance. His shooting helped maintain the cushion while both coaches used deeper reserves in the final period.

Rookie Darryn Peterson started alongside George, Markkanen, Jackson and Jusuf Nurkic. Peterson finished with three points, six rebounds and two assists on one-of-five shooting. The Salt Lake Tribune reported that Utah replaced Markkanen, Jackson and Nurkic with Bailey, Josh Okogie and Jaxson Hayes in the second half. That gave Peterson another stint beside George while Bailey moved from the first bench group into the second-half lineup. Bailey also contributed a steal and a block. KSL cautioned against treating the first preseason starting group as a settled opening-night lineup.

For Denver, Julian Strawther led with 14 points and Aaron Gordon scored 12. Nikola Jokic had seven assists, three rebounds and three points in 15 minutes, taking only one shot from the field. Tyus Jones added eight points and six assists.

Utah’s next opportunity to build on the first game comes against the same opponent: the Jazz and Nuggets meet Tuesday at Delta Center.

Jokic's passing also produced a first-quarter highlight. Basketball analyst Sam Vecenie posted a six-second clip of a no-look pass from the opener. It offers a closer look at the playmaking behind Jokic's seven assists in 15 minutes, even on a night when he attempted only one field goal.