Utah Jazz won109vs.Denver Nuggets97

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Market price

Oct 4 forecast

Denver returns its established Jokić-led starting five against last season’s weakest Western team, so a Denver win is favored.

Denver retains the core of a team that swept Utah last season, while Utah enters after finishing last in the Western Conference with one of the league’s weakest defenses. Utah has added young talent and Denver plans to use a deeper rotation, making playing time more volatile than in a regular-season matchup. Denver’s superior continuity, proven production and recent dominance of Utah still make it the stronger side.

Points to YES

Denver’s intact, Jokić-led starting five provides a substantial talent and continuity advantage.
On October 2, Denver confirmed that Jamal Murray, Christian Braun, Cameron Johnson, Aaron Gordon and Nikola Jokić would remain its starting lineup.
Recent head-to-head results strongly favor Denver over Utah.
Denver defeated Utah in all four regular-season meetings during the 2025-26 season.
Utah’s recent defensive weakness gives Denver’s elite offensive core a favorable matchup.
Utah ranked 29th in defensive rating and last in opponent points per game during the 2025-26 season.

Points to NO

Denver’s planned use of a deeper rotation limits how fully its starters can exploit their advantage.
On October 2, David Adelman said Denver planned to begin the season with a deeper rotation before narrowing it closer to the playoffs.
Darryn Peterson gives Utah an additional scoring threat if he receives meaningful minutes.
By October 2, Peterson had averaged 23 points across five Summer League games and was considered a possible participant in the preseason opener.

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