Biggest Winners and Losers From Nuggets Preseason Opener vs. Jazz

The Denver Nuggets finally played in front of fans for the first time since their ugly playoff loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves, and unfortunately for the Boulder crowd, they suffered another loss in their first game back.

The Nuggets were taken down by the Utah Jazz, 109-97, in their preseason opener on Sunday night. Julian Strawther led the way with 14 points off the bench, while Aaron Gordon chipped in 12 as Denver's only double-digit scorers. The Jazz, however, had five players score in double figures, led by Lauri Markkanen with 17 points and Keyonte George with 15.

Fortunately, the result of a preseason game does not actually matter. Let's take a look at a few winners and losers from the first Nuggets game of the 2026-27 season:

Winner: Tyus Jones

Oct 4, 2026; Boulder, Colorado, USA; Denver Nuggets guard Tyus Jones (5) during the first half against the Utah Jazz at CU Events Center. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

With Jamal Murray sidelined, Tyus Jones got the start on Sunday night. As Denver's fill-in point guard, Jones finished with eight points, two rebounds, and six assists, shooting 3-6 from the field and 2-3 from beyond the arc in 19 minutes of action.

There has been plenty of talk this offseason about whether the Nuggets can trust Jones as their backup point guard. Sure, Jones is a reliable ball-handler, but he is not much of a scoring threat and is viewed as a negative defender. How valuable can he be to the Nuggets in their backup point guard position?

Fortunately, on Sunday night, Jones showed what he is capable of with the ball in his hands. Jones was confident and played as well as we have seen him in a Nuggets uniform, and he could be a better backup point guard for Denver than we anticipated.

Winner: Trevon Brazile

Sep 28, 2026; Denver, CO, USA; Denver Nuggets forward Trevon Brazile (7) during media day at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Similar to Jones filling in for an injured Murray, Trevon Brazile got some extra opportunities as Denver's backup power forward because of Spencer Jones's absence. Brazile logged 20 minutes off Denver's bench, finishing with seven points, three rebounds, and two blocks on 3-4 shooting from the field.

The rookie forward tied Julian Strawther for the most minutes played for the Nuggets on Sunday night, and he was impressive in his unofficial NBA debut. The high-flying forward showed off his versatility in limited capacity and proved he could ultimately be a valuable piece in the rotation.

Spencer Jones could be sidelined for a bit longer this preseason, giving Brazile more opportunities to prove himself as the team's backup power forward. He is a great third-string forward to have on the roster, and more performances like this could help him move up the depth chart a bit.

Loser: Lonnie Walker IV

Sep 28, 2026; Denver, CO, USA; Denver Nuggets guard Lonnie Walker IV (4) during media day at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Lonnie Walker IV did not have a horrible game, but for a player still fighting for a roster spot, and therefore his first NBA contract since the 2024-25 season, it did not go as expected.

Unfortunately for Walker, he did not check in for the Nuggets until the fourth quarter, a potentially bad sign that David Adelman did not care to piece him into the main rotation. Of course, there are still four more preseason games, and he will have more chances to play with the Nuggets' core, but this was not an ideal Nuggets debut.

In just nine minutes, he finished with three points, three rebounds, two assists, one steal, and one block, shooting 1-4 from the field with all attempts from beyond the arc. Walker certainly showed a flash or two, but he failed to truly make his mark as he fights for a contract with the Nuggets.

Winner: Denver's bounceback from injuries

Oct 4, 2026; Boulder, Colorado, USA; Denver Nuggets forward Aaron Gordon (32) reacts to to the Utah Jazz bench in the second quarter at CU Events Center. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Last season, the Nuggets were severely injured, with Aaron Gordon, Christian Braun, and Cam Johnson each missing a good chunk of the season. In their preseason opener, they looked healthy and as good as ever.

While none of them necessarily stuffed the stat sheet, with the exception of Gordon's 12 points and four rebounds, each of them looked healthy and much more comfortable after injuries largely ruined their 2025-26 campaigns.

If the Nuggets can stay healthy, especially these three, they will already be better positioned for success than they were last season. Even with Murray and Jones sidelined, this was a promising preseason opener for the Nuggets with regard to their health concerns.

Sign up for our free Denver Nuggets On SI newsletter, and get breaking Nuggets news delivered to your inbox daily!

Add us as a preferred source on Google