NBA: Denver Nuggets vs Utah Jazz Pick and Predictions 10/19/2022

Game: 9:10 PM ET, Wednesday, October 19th

Venue:  Vivint Arena, Salt lake City, Utah

Where to Watch: NBA League Pass, local cable 

Nuggets: 48-34, PLAYOFFS, 0-0 fresh start

Jazz: 49-33, PLAYOFFS, 0-0 fresh start

DraftKings:  Point Spread: Denver -8; 218 O/U

Don Best: Point Spread: Denver -8; 218.5 O/U

William Hill: Point Spread: Denver -8; 218 O/U

Nuggets: PG Jamal Muray, SG Kentavious Caldwell Pope, SF Michael Porter Jr, PF Aaron Gordon, C Nikola Jokic

Jazz: PG Mike Conley, SG Collin Sexton, SF Lauri Markkanen, PF Jarred Vanderbilt, C Kelly Olynyk

Another NBA season is HERE!  This one will be darkly clouded by a race to the bottom of the standings.  A great big shadow lingers over all the bad teams in the NBA… and this is a matchup of two of the worst.  That shadow is next Draft’s consensus #1 pick Frechman 7’4 Center Victor Wenbanyama!  I have often railed that “tanking” does not work.  Because it doesn’t.  While bad teams were racing to the bottom to get a shot at guys like Markelle Fultz, the oft injured Zion Williams, Derrick Williams, Michael Kidd Gilchrist, Antony Bennett, Jahlil Okafor, Dragan Bender… you know… duds.  While they were doing that… actual stars were found outside of the top-five like Donovan Mitchell, Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, Giannis, Jimmy Butler (30th), Rudy Gobert (27th), Nikola Jokic (second round, two time MVP)... you know perennial all-stars.   With that said… this season tanking will work.   Victor W (the W is for winning) is a transformative player like LeBron, Lou Alcindor, Magic… etc.  The kid was most recently described as half Kevin Darant and half Kevin Garnett…a 7’4 Center with a well rounded game that includes outside shooting, passing, and dribbling… and he comes along at a time when lots of teams have opted to play undersized Power Forward at the Center position for flexibility.  He will work… and the team that tanks hard enough will thank themselves.   

The Denver Nuggets are always in the conversation if they always have Center Nikola Jokic as the starting center.  The problem last year was a double whammy of injuries to Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr.  They ran through the regular season, made the playoffs and then got bounced because they were missing their #2 and #3 players… but had such a good two-time MVP.  This team could be a Championship team if they had a full arsenal behind Jokic, sadly that has never been the case.  This offseason they added Kentavious Caldwell Pope at shooting guard and shooting is the operative word… Kentavious is a pure shooter and not much else.  If they expect (and they do) sustained success they will need real health at least for the end of the season and into the playoffs.

The Utah Jazz are the “tanking team”.  At the disappointing end of last season they traded C Rudy Gobert signaling the end of this good roster.  Months later they traded star SG Donovan Mitchell, further signaling the end… and proudly announcing a new beginning.  In the daft they added C Walker Kessler with the 20th pick.  He is a solid option at Center, but will need NBA seasoning and may not be NBA competent until his 2nd or 3rd year.  The benefit of moving Donovan Mitchell to Cleveland was additional quality draft picks and SG/PG Collin Sexton.  Sexton is a guy that had many 20 ppg in his healthy season with Cleveland and missed all year as the team grew without him.  If healthy Sexton could actually be an equal to Mitchell. However we can not forget that Utah detonated their team in order to get a great pick… That great pick may mean Victor W or Scoop Jackson?  Either way… They won’t want to win this season.

Al McMordie's 778-638 in Basketball the past 2 years combined (+ $80,850). You should be following a handicapper all season long!  Get Big Al’s  picks right now at the Shop Picks page, where you can find all of the Best Bets from our champion sports handicappers. BigAl.com can help you with all your bets from NCAAF, NFL, MLB, NHL… get positive value from all your bets! Remember: winning a bet is way more fun than making a bet!

The Nuggets finished last season 10th in scoring with 112.7 points per game, 2nd in FG percentage with 48.3%, 16th in 3-point percentage with 35.3%, and 17th in offensive rebounds. The addition of Michael Porter Jr should improve those offensive rebound numbers… not the FG%.

The Jazz finished last season 7th in scoring with 113.6 points, 6th in FG percentage with 47.1%, 11th in 3-point percentage with 36%, and 3rd in offensive rebounds with 46.3… Their numbers will crash with Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert gone.

Our prediction for Wednesday, October 19th is…. Nuggets 118 - Jazz 100

Bet on the Nuggets… and bet BIG.  If you can stomach it… bet 2 UNITS.  The Jazz will run away with this game on JOKIC alone.  Let alone if the rest of the Nuggets are playing?  The Jazz gave up everyone who might defend against Jokic or score against Jokic. The proper bet is for the Nuggets.

Don't miss our champion handicappers' Free NBA Picks and Premium Selections every day here at Bigal.com. Just click on Shop Picks for our Best Bets, or click on Shop Subscriptions to

join for a week or a month. And if you enjoyed this Nuggets/Jazz preview, be sure to bookmark Bigal.com for our daily Game Previews and Predictions.  Get help with all your college football picks, National Football league, NCAA brackets, or any prop bets on your season schedule. 

Utah is 35-51 ATS in all games the last 2 seasons (-21.5 UNITS).

Denver is 50-35 OVER (+11.5 UNITS) in all games the last 2 seasons.

Nuggets: PF Michael Porter Jr.  He will return after missing 60% of his NBA career from injury.  Michael is a good player with great size and skills.. He also has rarely been on the floor.  The reason to watch him is to know whether he has permanent rust or not.  If he plays like a good core player… The Nuggets will be contenders.

Jazz: SG Collin Sexton.  Collin missed last season with injury for the Cavs.  This season if he holds up.. We may just see the next great Western Conference scorer.  If he doesn’t show that? It may be a long rough haul for the Jazz.

Nuggets: Michale Malone

Jazz: Will “who?” Hardy