Utah Jazz: 2 keys to a primetime win against the Nuggets
By Jack Duggan
Utah Jazz Key to Victory #1: Slowing down Nikola Jokic
Slowing down the reigning MVP is obviously no easy task, but it is the single most important job for the Utah Jazz tonight.
Through the first two games, Jokic has seemingly picked up right where he left off last season, posting an impressive 29.5/14.5/4.5 (PPG/RPG/APG). Even more impressive is that he has posted these stats all while shooting 65.9% from the field. Also worth mentioning that he has racked up 2.5 steals per game, which is especially impressive for a big man.
In the Jazz’s games against the Nuggets last year, Nikola Jokic shined, averaging 35.3 PPG through the 3 contests. Jokic notably dropped 47 points in a big win over the Jazz last season, a fate they must work to avoid tonight.
Rudy Gobert has had an excellent start to the season, and they will need a great defensive performance from him to beat the Nuggets. Jokic proves to be a difficult matchup for all opponents, but Gobert’s size, length, and defensive prowess give him a better chance than most to slow him down. The Jazz can also elect to bring in 7-footer Hassan Whiteside off the bench as another big body to throw at Jokic.
A notable weakness in the Jazz defense has been the ability to stop dribble penetration from perimeter players, which can lead to kick-outs and open threes. However, with the absence of Jamal Murray, the Jazz have the allowance to focus on a scheme to slow Jokic without the threat of an elite perimeter player.
Jokic is just about as lethal as a passer as he is a scorer, which makes him extremely difficult to guard. The Joker has an unmatched ability to read the defense and shred double teams. If the Jazz can limit the number of doubles they are forced to throw at Jokic, it will surely result in less easy buckets for the rest of the Nuggets.
Obviously, the team cannot totally forget about other scoring threats such as Michael Porter Jr. or Aaron Gordon. Still, it seems as though the early formula to stop the Denver Nuggets boils down to simply stopping Nikola Jokic.