3 Key Things to Watch for in Nuggets' Preseason Rematch vs. Jazz

The Denver Nuggets are looking to bounce back from their loss to open the preseason.

Oct 4, 2026; Boulder, Colorado, USA; Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen (23) defends Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (15) in the first half at CU Events Center. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Denver Nuggets suffered a 12-point loss to the Utah Jazz in their preseason opener on Sunday, with an unusual 97-point outing for the league's top offense from last year. On Tuesday, they are looking to bounce back with a rematch against the Jazz, this time in Salt Lake City.

Of course, the results of these preseason contests do not actually matter, but no team wants to start the new season off with a pair of losses. The Nuggets will undoubtedly still be trying to win this game, but between the first and final buzzer, here are a few things we should be watching for.

More efficient shooting

Apr 25, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Denver Nuggets head coach David Adelman reacts to a call in the second quarter against the Minnesota Timberwolves at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Matt Blewett-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Nuggets likely would've won their preseason opener if they could've hit their shots. They shot 40% from the field, 28% from deep, and 67% from the charity stripe. Of course, we cannot expect too much in their first game back, but even head coach David Adelman expressed some concern over the team's shooting woes after the game.

The offense itself was not too bad, but they have to be able to hit their shots. Last season, the Nuggets scored fewer than 100 points in just two of their 82 games. Their offense flopped in the playoffs, when they failed to reach the century mark three times. Now, scoring just 97 points to start the preseason was not what they wanted to see.

In their second preseason outing in Utah, we simply want to see if this new-look team can match the high-powered offense we saw last season. Let's see the Nuggets hit their shots and run an efficient offense, regardless of who is on the court.

A more aggressive Nikola Jokic

Oct 4, 2026; Boulder, Colorado, USA; Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (15) reacts in the second quarter against the Utah Jazz at CU Events Center. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Of course, we all know what Nikola Jokic is capable of, and he has nothing to prove in these preseason matches. Still, he was very passive in the team's preseason opener on Sunday.

In 15 minutes of action, Jokic attempted just one shot, playing much more as a facilitator than a scorer, which is not an issue at all. However, in Tuesday's preseason game, it would be nice to see him be a bit more aggressive.

Jokic finished the opener with three points and seven assists, but we want to see how he is looking when trying to score, especially against a challenging Jazz frontcourt. This is not necessarily a priority for Jokic or the Nuggets, but it would be refreshing to see what Jokic can do as a scorer, especially if they want to treat these preseason games as if they matter.

The newcomers

Oct 4, 2026; Boulder, Colorado, USA; Utah Jazz forward Blake Hinson (25) defends the shot attempt by Denver Nuggets forward Cam Whitmore (00) in the second half at CU Events Center. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Nuggets did not make any significant changes to the roster over the offseason, but made enough minor tweaks to give this team a new feel. On Sunday, we saw DeMar DeRozan, Alpha Diallo, Marvin Bagley III, Cam Whitmore, Trevon Brazile, Bryce Hopkins, Ryan Nembhard, and Lonnie Walker IV all make their (preseason) debut with the Nuggets.

Of their newcomers, a few of them really stood out. Bagley, Diallo, Whitmore, and Brazile were special standouts from Sunday's game, but really, none of them were bad. The Nuggets should be pleased with what they saw from their new players, but they certainly want to see more of it.

Diallo seemed to have really impressed in his debut, potentially even securing a spot in the rotation because of it, but they need to see him be consistent. Brazile and Whitmore are two young standouts from Sunday's game who are fighting for minutes, and if they continue to impress in the preseason, they could get more regular season opportunities than expected.

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