December 23 - The Denver Nuggets defeated the Utah Jazz 135-112 . Jokic contributed a triple-double with 14 points, 13 rebounds , and 13 assists, while Murray added 27 points, 6 rebounds , and 5 assists. For the Jazz, Markkanen scored 27 points and grabbed 8 rebounds, but it wasn't enough to prevent the team's loss.

At the start of the game, the Nuggets quickly found their rhythm, launching a fierce offensive and rapidly widening the gap. Late in the first quarter, the Jazz couldn't stop the Jazz from extending their lead, and the Nuggets finished the quarter with a commanding 40-15 advantage. In the second quarter, the Nuggets maintained a lead of over 20 points throughout. Johnson was on fire in this quarter, hitting consecutive three-pointers to further extend the home team's lead. The Jazz's sporadic scoring failed to mount a sustained comeback, and the Nuggets led 69-46 at halftime .

After switching sides, the Nuggets quickly extended their lead again, reaching as high as 27 points. The Jazz, led by Markkanen, attempted a comeback, but the Nuggets consistently responded and maintained control. At the end of the third quarter, the Nuggets led 103-84 . In the final quarter, after a brief adjustment, the Nuggets regained their momentum, extending their lead to nearly 30 points. Although the Jazz, led by Nurkic, fought back, the outcome was no longer in doubt. Ultimately, the Nuggets defeated the Jazz 135-112.

Jazz player statistics

Markkanen 27 points, 8 rebounds, 1 assist; George 20 points , 8 rebounds , 7 assists; Nurkic 17 points , 14 rebounds , 6 assists; Sensab 14 points , 6 rebounds , 1 assist; Bailey 10 points , 3 rebounds ; Clayton 6 points , 2 rebounds, 4 assists; Mykhailiuk 6 points , 1 rebound; Hendricks 5 points , 2 rebounds; Flipovski 5 points , 2 rebounds , 1 assist

Nuggets player statistics

Murray 27 points , 6 rebounds, 5 assists; Hardaway 21 points , 3 rebounds , 2 assists; Johnson 20 points , 2 rebounds, 4 assists; Watson 20 points , 3 rebounds, 2 assists; Brown 15 points , 5 rebounds , 1 assist; Jokic 14 points, 13 rebounds , 13 assists; Valanciunas 12 points, 11 rebounds, 1 assist; Pickett 3 points , 3 rebounds , 5 assists