Nuggets Heading to Unique Venue for Jazz Preseason Game

The Denver Nuggets' 2026 schedule has been revealed earlier this week, showcasing when and where the Nuggets will be throughout their next 82 regular season games from October to April.

And along with the Nuggets' 82-game regular season now being unveiled, so is their four-game preseason slate. Denver has four teams on tap from October 4th to the 16th before their season opener against the Oklahoma City Thunder.

One of those games, however, is set to take place in a pretty compelling location that's different from the norm of what you'd see from an NBA team.

And that's their first preseason matchup against the Utah Jazz, which will be tipping off in the CU Events Center in Boulder.

Nuggets' Preseason Heading to Boulder vs. Jazz

It's a minor, yet interesting note to add within the grand scheme of the Nuggets’ schedule. Rather than heading to Denver to play in their first unofficial game of the year to prepare for the season, they'll be going to the local college court in Boulder.

The Nuggets have done this before. In 2015, Denver made the trip to the then-named Coors Events Center to face the Chicago Bulls for a preseason game, and will now make their way back around for a similar showing against the Jazz.

Apr 1, 2026; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokić (15) gets past Utah Jazz forward Ace Bailey (19) and dunks the ball during the second half at Delta Center. Mandatory Credit: Chris Nicoll-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Nuggets have had their ups and downs within their recent preseason showings. In 2025-26 for what was their first official season under head coach David Adelman, Denver went 3-2 in their five preliminary games, and the year before that, they went 1-4.

And it was in that 2025-26 preseason where the Nuggets had a couple of neutral-site locations like they have this year. Denver traveled to face the Minnesota Timberwolves in San Diego, and also faced the Toronto Raptors in Vancouver for the NBA Canada Series.

And while a neutral-site game that'll be away from Ball Arena, the Nuggets will only have to take less than an hour’s drive down to Boulder to take on the Jazz, marking their first game of the year with their newly constructed roster from the offseason, and their second preseason matchup against Utah.

The Nuggets also have the Jazz on their preseason schedule the next game after their trip to Boulder on October 6th, when they'll be traveling to Salt Lake City for another meeting.

Their first preseason matchup against the Jazz, set for October 4th, will be one of their two neutral-site games of their season, but their only one of their four-game preliminary slate. Denver's other will be November 7th's matchup against the Indiana Pacers, when they'll be heading over to Mexico City for the league's 35th game hosted in Mexico.

A little over two months remain before the Nuggets are able to tip off the next regular season, but it's even less time before they get their preseason rolling. And when they do, it'll take place in Boulder, not their typical home in Denver.

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