Jazz's Studs & Duds From Nuggets Loss

An understaffed Utah Jazz team falls to the Denver Nuggets on the road.

Nikola Jokic scored 31 points while dishing out 14 assists as the Denver Nuggets defeated a short-handed Utah Jazz team, 115-110.

Jazz shooting guard Nickeil Alexander-Walker scored a season-high 27 points in a losing cause.

Despite entering the contest as a 12-point underdog, Utah was able to stay within striking distance throughout the game. The Jazz were without five rotational players, which included their two leading scorers in Lauri Markkanen and Jordan Clarkson.

It was an opportunity for the lesser-used players to earn a spot in the rotation moving forward. Some players took advantage, while others did not. 

Let’s break down the studs and duds from Utah’s 14th loss of the season.

Stud: Nickeil Alexander-Walker

If there’s a player that’s emerging as a potential trade chip down the road, it’s Alexander-Walker. The 6-foot-5 shooting guard out of Virginia Tech saw 40 minutes on the court and produced an efficient 27 points on only 16 shots. 

When the Jazz are at full strength, it’s been difficult for Alexander-Walker to crack the rotation, but it appears he’s moved ahead of Talen Horton-Tucker for consistent minutes in the future. The Jazz are deep at the guard position, so look for Utah to parlay his stellar play into a possible trade down the road.

Dud: Ochai Agbaji

With the Jazz being understaffed, Agbaji was able to log 20 minutes of playing time on Saturday night. The 2022 first-round pick scored six points on 25% shooting with zero assists. 

It was an underwhelming performance as the Jazz continue to develop their young rookie out of Kansas. Agbaji should continue to spend time in the G-League, as getting minutes with the Jazz is proving to be difficult when they’re at full strength.

Stud: Malik Beasley

The sharpshooter acquired in the Rudy Gobert trade had another notable performance. Beasley scored 19 points while knocking down four three-pointers on 53% shooting from the field. 

Through 29 games, Beasley now ranks fourth in the league in three-pointers made at 94. He’s a restricted free agent in 2023, and with how he’s stood out this year, a big payday could be around the corner. Utah would be wise to lock him up a year early at a discount before his price tag goes up when he becomes an unrestricted free agent in 2024.

Dud: Leandro Bolmaro

Bolmaro doesn’t look to be NBA-ready when he’s seen the court this year. Opportunities have been few and far between, but his performance against the Nuggets should send him back down to the G-League. 

Bolmaro was scoreless in 17 minutes of action and looked lost in Utah’s half-court sets. The last roster spot came down Balmaro and former Jazz second-round pick Jared Butler, but the second-year pro out of Spain has yet to prove to the Jazz that they made the right choice.

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