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Match Details
Fixture: Denver Nuggets vs Utah Jazz
Date & Time: Saturday, August 17th, 2020, 1:30 PM ET (Monday 11:00 PM IST)
Venue: HP Field House, Disney World, Orlando, FL
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The first round of the NBA Playoffs will see Denver Nuggets take on the Utah Jazz. Both teams have had an underwhelming time in the bubble and haven’t been able to perform at a high level. The no. 3 seeded Denver Nuggets were eliminated in the Conference Semi-Finals last year while the no.6 seeded Utah Jazz were eliminated in the first round.
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The Utah Jazz had narrowly avoided an NBA Playoffs rematch with Houston Rockets and have secured the perfect matchup to begin their NBA Playoffs campaign. This matchup will be a battle of the big men as Rudy Gobert takes on Nikola Jokic.
Denver Nuggets Preview
The Denver Nuggets have had a favorable 3-0 record over the Utah Jazz during the regular season and will be entering this matchup as favorites to win. Having faced injury issues during their time in the bubble, Denver Nuggets are looking to open their NBA Playoffs 2020 campaign with a W.
The Denver Nuggets will not be entering this with any momentum, having dropped their last three seeding games. That being said, Denver Nuggets have been shooting much better from behind the arc and have limited their turnovers since the restart. Denver Nuggets will be hoping that their bench performs at the level that they have been in the bubble so far in order to win against the Utah Jazz.
Key Player- Nikola Jokic
Nikola Jokic will be taking on two-time Defensive Player of the Year, Rudy Gobert. The Denver Nuggets center has been an offensive juggernaut this year and will need to have another strong game to earn a win for his team.
The Serbian superstar hasn’t been successful against Rudy Gobert in the past and has only come out on top eight times out of the 14 times that they’ve faced one another. However, Jokic has won the last three matchups and has averaged well over 25 points in those games. This series will mark the first time that they meet in the Playoffs and Nikola Jokic will hope to dominate Rudy Gobert.
Denver Nuggets Predicted Lineup
Torrey Craig, Jamal Murray, Paul Millsap, Michael Porter Jr., Nikola Jokic
Utah Jazz Preview
The Utah Jazz have put up a mixed bag of performances in the NBA bubble and a first-round elimination is looking imminent. Star players such as Mike Conley Jr. and Donovan Mitchell have not been able to get anything going which has led to their 3-5 record in the bubble.
Additionally, Utah Jazz has been unable to win consecutive games since the restart. Their poor performance can be attributed to their key players spending a considerable amount of time on the bench and nursing injuries. The Utah Jazz will need to pick up the pace offensively in order to avoid a repeat of their playoff run last year.
Key Player - Donovan Mitchell
Donovan Mitchell has been key to Utah Jazz’s success since his rookie season. This season was another breakout year for the All-Star guard who averaged 24 points per game for the Utah Jazz.
Donovan Mitchell needs to step up now that he has playoff experience and the Utah Jazz will be depending on him to start off this series with a win. Donovan Mitchell has extraordinary shooting and playmaking ability which could help open up the Denver Nuggets defense.
Utah Jazz Predicted Lineup
Mike Conley Jr., Donovan Mitchell, Joe Ingles, Royce O'Neale, Rudy Gobert
Denver Nuggets vs Utah Jazz Match Prediction
This should be a close contest as their last three matchups have been decided in the fourth quarter. Despite both teams entering this matchup with very little momentum, Denver Nuggets are favored to win due to their bench strength.
Jerami Grant has proved to be a good pick for the Denver Nuggets and will continue his strong run in this matchup. Utah Jazz will need to have a strong defensive showing to win this matchup against the Denver Nuggets.
Where to watch Denver Nuggets vs Utah Jazz
Live coverage of the match can be seen on TNT. The same will be broadcast nationwide in the US on ESPN. You can also live-stream the fixture via NBA League Pass.
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