After consecutive 11-game nights and before another 11-game slate on the league’s unofficial holiday of Martin Luther King Day, the NBA adopts its customary strategy on Sundays in January of refusing to schedule heavily against the NFL.
That leaves a just three-game board, with the Utah Jazz visiting the Denver Nuggets likely the best game. Hey, it can’t be Lakers-Clippers every night. And that Broncos-Patriots game was a real thriller, huh?
This is Utah’s second visit to the Mile High City. Their first was a 117-100 loss on Dec. 28 that came on the heels of a season-opening beatdown at the hands of the L.A. Lakers and had folks wondering how bad the Jazz would be.
However, Utah is 7-2 since, with the only losses at San Antonio and at home to the Lakers in overtime. All but one of the wins have been at home, so a road game against a quality opponent will be another good test for the Jazz, who could use a boost from point guard Devin Harris.
Harris has averaged at least 15.0 points and 5.4 assists in each of the last four seasons. Thus far, he is at a puzzling 8.1 points and 4.6 assists while shooting less than 35 percent from the field.
You could argue that the Nuggets have two point guards better than Harris – starter Ty Lawson, who has team highs of 17.1 points and 6.3 assists, and veteran reserve Andre Miller, who is at 9.8 points and 6.2 assists.
The playmaking duo has Denver leading the league in assists (24.3) and second in scoring (104.8 ppg). The Nuggets have scored 110 or more six times tbhis season, including Friday’s impressive 117-104 relay race past the Miami Heat, who looked gassed in the fourth quarter.
Both teams dealt their All-Stars midway through last season, with different results.
The Jazz are 15-21 since dealing Deron Williams to the New Jersey Nets for Harris, Derrick Favors and other goodies. The Nuggets are 26-11 since moving Carmelo Anthony to the New York Knicks for a huge player package including Danilo Gallinari, Wilson Chandler and Timofey Mozgov.