Nuggets' Tim Hardaway Jr. Speaks on Dominant Night vs. Jazz

The Denver Nuggets had their way with the Utah Jazz to get back to some winning ways after their previous tough blow to the Houston Rockets over the weekend.

The Nuggets rallied to a staggering 19-0 lead in the first quarter, tied a franchise-high in 24 three pointers made, and in particular, was a strong night of production for Tim Hardway Jr.

Hardaway Jr. had his third 20-point night of the season, posting 21 points with six made three-pointers, three rebounds, and two assists in just 24 minutes of play, emerging as a key piece for Denver's success throughout the night.

After the game, though, Hardaway Jr. had a lot of praise to hand out around the roster; specifically to the starting five that helped begin the game off on the right foot.

"It was good. A couple threes I wanted back, but for the most part the first unit went in there and did what they had to do," Hardway Jr. said after the win. "Made it easier for us to come into the game and finish the game out. It was great to have P-Wat back. He set the tone defensively, we missed his presence."

"Jamal and Jok’ [Nikola Jokic] doing what they do best, going out there, shooting the ball well, and Cam [Johnson] out there doing really well, Spence doing his thing."

THREE STRAIGHT 3s FROM TIM HARDAWAY JR. pic.twitter.com/BIsC3r475L
— Matt Brooks (@MattBrooksNBA) December 23, 2025

Tim Hardaway Jr. Lit Up From Deep vs. Jazz

Hardaway Jr. didn't just have one of his best scoring nights of the season, but also tied his season-high in three-pointers shot with 11— but with six of those connecting for a 54.5% clip from deep, it's hard to hate the confidence he was shooting with throughout the night off the bench.

And that confidence displayed for Hardaway Jr. to keep letting it fly is far from a mistake either. When asked if his mentality ever wavers, he responded as any sharpshooter typically would.

"Not at all," Hardaway Jr. said postgame. "That's why I jacked one up four feet away from the line. Just seeing the ball go in or getting a clean look at it, for me personally, it is hard for me to get looks in general. So, anytime there is daylight or an opportunity I am going to try to take advantage of it."

Dec 22, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Nuggets guard Tim Hardaway Jr. (10) looks to pass as Utah Jazz guard Keyonte George (3) guards in the fourth quarter at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images | Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

If the Nuggets' depth, like Hardaway Jr. can continue to step up in place of the starting unit when that opportunity comes, especially when able to get off to hot starts as they did against the Jazz, it becomes much easier for Denver to keep racking up more and more wins in the regular season, and in turn, makes them even more of a potent threat to hold down.

Tim Hardaway Jr. Lit Up From Deep vs. Jazz

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