Two Western Conference teams defeated by the Oklahoma City Thunder in their last preseason outings will collide today, Thursday, when the Utah Jazz host the Denver Nuggets at the EnergySolutions Arena.
The Jazz are heading to Thursday's matchup riding a four-game losing skid and in their last game against the Thunder were defeated 113–102.
Utah was led by former Duke Blue Devil guard Rodney Hood who had 23 points, one assist, and two steals in 28 minutes played.
Jazz playmaker Trey Burke contributed 20 points, three rebounds, four assists, and three steals in a losing cause.
Burke's fellow guards Gordon Hayward and Alec Burks added 18 and 14 points, respectively.
The game against the Nuggets will be the last for the Jazz this preseason before they begin their 2015–16 regular season campaign against the Detroit Pistons on Oct. 28.
Meanwhile, the Nuggets were cruising in the preseason and were riding a four-game winning streak before getting it snapped by Oklahoma City 111–98 last Sunday.
Denver lost its preseason opener against the Los Angeles Clippers but then bounced back winning its next four games before falling to the Thunder.
Leading the way for the Nuggets in the defeat was rookie point guard Emmanuel Mudiay who is having an impressive preseason.
Mudiay was drafted by Denver seventh-overall in the 2015 National Basketball Association (NBA) Draft and is considered as the future of the franchise.
The 19-year-old dropped 22 points, also having five rebounds, three assists, one steal, and one block against the Thunder.
Forward Danilo Gallinari and reserve guard Erick Green helped the Nuggets, scoring 16 points each, with center Nikola Jokić adding 11 points off the bench.
The Nuggets' game against Utah is also their last of the preseason and will be resting for less than a week before their season opener on Oct. 28 against the Houston Rockets.
The game between the Jazz and Nuggets will be held today, Oct. 22, at 9:00 p.m. EST. To watch via live stream, click here.
