The Utah Jazz struggled to stop a special player in Victor Wembanyama on Thursday night and now have to figure out how to contain a three-time NBA MVP when they visit the Denver Nuggets on Saturday night.
Wembanyama scorched Utah for 25 points, nine rebounds, seven assists, five steals and five blocks in the San Antonio Spurs’ 106-88 victory Thursday to keep the Jazz the only winless team in the league. Getting that first victory would mean getting the best of Denver’s Nikola Jokic, who is off to a strong start to the season.
Jokic already has two 40-point games and two triple-doubles just five games into the season, but it hasn’t been a great start for Denver. The Nuggets lost two in a row to begin the year and won overtime road games on back-to-back nights before falling at Minnesota on Friday night.
Denver will be down a starter because Jamal Murray suffered a hit to the head in the second half of the 119-116 loss to the Timberwolves. Murray was hurt when he ran into Julius Randle cutting through the lane and left after a couple of possessions.
“He took a really hard hit, and they checked him out in the back,” Nuggets coach Michael Malone said. “I haven’t heard anything in terms of what kind of status he’s been given, whether he’s in concussion protocol. If he’s not able to play, we hope to get him back as soon as possible.”
It is another challenge for the Nuggets, who heavily have relied on their starters this season. Malone has staggered his starters with his reserves and Friday night plugged in little-used Hunter Tyson to try and find a formula.
Utah does have the advantage of rest against a team that is playing back-to-back games for the second time this week. But the Jazz are dealing with injuries, too, which has given rookies Kyle Filipowski and Cody Williams the opportunity for more playing time.
Taylor Hendricks was lost for the season with a broken leg and dislocated ankle, and Lauri Markkanen is dealing with back spasms, so Filipowski and Williams started Thursday’s game against the Spurs.
“I don’t think anyone really wants to get more minutes that way,” Filipowski said. “What I’m trying to do is just stay ready … keeping my mind right. That way when this moment came, and when these moments come in the future, I’m ready for being thrown in the fire.”
Filipowski was solid in the loss to San Antonio, scoring 12 points on 5-for-8 shooting from the field, including making half of his four 3-point attempts. Williams missed all six of his shot attempts but made his only two foul shots.
Both players know this is a chance to show what they can do in the NBA and aren’t taking it lightly.
“Knowing that everything can change in an instant, and not taking it for granted. I think that allows us to stay locked in and approach the game right, because we know we have a teammate who wishes he could be out there,” Williams said.
