· Will Hardy post game was really interesting about the concept that winning is boring. That winning is doing the same thing correctly time and time again and that can be boring. The exciting thing is to break a play off and do something spectacular when the right thing is to just move the ball to the right person. Defensively it can be the simple rotation or the sacrifice of your body to help your teammate.
· I thought the Jazz did all they could tonight. Without Lauri Markkanen, John Collins and Jordan Clarkson. Then add Kyle Filipowski, Taylor Hendricks being out along with Drew Eubanks gets hurt early in the game it was an uphill battle to start. Over the courst of the night the Jazz were simply outmanned. They battle, they executed but Denver was too much experience and talent for the guys the Jazz had available.
· The first quarter the Jazz set a season high 35 points in the first quarter. They hit 7 threes and played with awesome tempo and force. The Nuggets are the 2nd worst team in the NBA defending after a miss and the Jazz are the 2nd best offensive team after a miss and the Jazz took advantage of that early in the game and were awesome offensively. Then the Jazz shot 8 of 24 in the 2nd and 3rd quarters
· Jazz defense didn’t have much impact on the Nuggets in the first quarter when the Niuggets had an offensive rating of 151 and then for the first half they were in the 140s.
· There was a real clear moment in this game where the Jazz were executing really well and things were rolling and then all of sudden they started playing 1 on 1 and stopped playing with the movement they had earlier. Will Hardy talked about this post game after the game against the Spurs. It was a clear moment when this happened tonight and the game got away from the Jazz a bit when it took place.
· Micah Potter is one of the most enjoyable people on this team and that I have covered in my career. I am a big fan. All you need to know about him is that last year when he was the G-League team and not on the Jazz active roster he sat in the crowd to root on the Jazz . You could be bitter that you haven’t been activated. You could decide to rest. You could be upet that you in the G-League and this guy goes and sits in the crowd and roots the team on. He is truly as genuine as they come. After the game tonight, his first NBA start, he and his wife had Gabby our team photographer take a picture of them on the court. Micah was really emotional with us last year on content day talking about his self belief that he will make it and get a chance and how incredible his wife has been to keep moving and keep supporting him on his single minded journey to make in the NBA. Tonight he got his first start and had 9 points, 16 rebounds and 3 assists. This was really cool to watch.
· Anyone who has spent time with Oscar Tshiebwe is going to root for him. His journey from the Congo to the US will bring the hair up on your arm. He brings joy every day. He got 9 rebounds tonight in 16 minutes. He is an elite rebounder. I do wonder if there might be a roll for a player like this with the importance of offensive rebounding.
· Nikola Jokic is incredible. He dominated the game in the first quarter with his 5th startight game with double digits in the first quarter. He had his third highest scoring 1st quarter of this career. He finished with 30 points, 10 rebounds and 7 assists. He will win his 4th MVP in 5 years this year and only LeBron James and Bill Russell have ever done that. We are witnessing one of if not the most dominating 5 year run in the history of the league.
· Happy Thanksgiving. Thanks for following Locked On Jazz (tell some friends). Appreciate the love and passion from Jazz Nation.
