Jazz vs. Nuggets: 4 Things to Look For

The Utah Jazz are finally playing for keeps.

The long wait is finally over. On Wednesday night, the Utah Jazz will host the Denver Nuggets in the season opener at Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City.

What will new Jazz head coach Will Hardy have in store for fans? Let's dive in and examine what we should be looking for as the Jazz kick off the 2022-23 season.

Play the Rookies?

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It appears Walker Kessler has clearly cemented himself as part of the rotation, but what about rookies Ochai Agbaji and Simone Fontecchio? The Jazz have sacrificed capital and resources into developing these two players, but in preseason they seem to be the odd man out. 

With the Jazz in the midst of a rebuild, will the rookies get some live reps at the expense of some of the vets, or will they have to learn by observing from the sidelines?

Containing Nikola Jokic

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We all expect Jokic to put up big numbers against the Jazz, but I’m still curious to see how Kessler does against the former two-time MVP. Kessler may have been the best defensive player in college basketball last year, but he's never been faced with guarding a player with the skill set of Jokic. 

It’s a great test for a player that's developing and a team that's rebuilding.

The Crowd

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Jazz Nation is divided on whether Utah should tank the 2022-23 season or go all in with both feet. Indeed, fans will be caught in the moment and cheering for the home team, but what about the portion that wants the Jazz to play for draft position? 

Losing games is uncharted water for Jazz fans, and we’ll see whether the crowd comes across as a fractured group or if they can cheer concurrently as one.

Will Malik Beasley or Jordan Clarkson Start?

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Clarkson started the last preseason game against the Dallas Mavericks, but Beasley didn't dress due to an ankle injury. 

Who will Hardy go with to start the season? With Beasley off the injury report and practicing in full, it could go either way. Jazz fans will find out 30 minutes before tip-off.

Team Identity

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You only get one chance to make a first impression. The biggest complaint from fans last year was a lack of team effort.

The bar for the number of wins that Jazz fans expect this year is low, but that doesn't mean this won't be a fun group to watch play. Let's see if this new roster can keep fans engaged with effort and grit, despite whether they win or lose. 

It will be important to create a positive team identity out of the gates to keep fans engaged. Tip-off is at 7:00 on Wednesday night.

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