Denver @ Utah preview

Last Meeting ( Nov 3, 2018 ) Utah 88, Denver 103

The Denver Nuggets look to halt a seven-game losing streak in Salt Lake City when they visit the Utah Jazz on Wednesday. The Jazz have won the seven meetings by an average of 14 points and held Denver under 90 in five of the games.

Utah had a six-game winning streak halted on Monday, when it suffered a 109-104 home loss to the Portland Trail Blazers despite Donovan Mitchell again excelling with 36 points. Mitchell has scored more than 20 points in each of the past nine games and is averaging 29.8 points during the stretch. Denver won 10 of its past 13 games and defeated the lowly Chicago Bulls and Cleveland Cavaliers by an average of 26 points in its last two outings. "Besides a few slipups here and there, we've been taking care of the teams we need to take care of," Nuggets shooting guard Gary Harris told reporters after Saturday's 124-102 rout of the Cavaliers.

TV: 10:30 p.m. ET, ESPN, Altitude 2 (Denver), AT&T SportsNet Rocky Mountain (Utah)

ABOUT THE NUGGETS (31-14): Point guard Jamal Murray scored 26 points in the win over Cleveland for his fourth straight game of shooting 50 percent or better. Murray is averaging 24 points during the stretch and is 15-of-25 from 3-point range over the past three contests. Standout center Nikola Jokic had 19 points, 12 assists and 11 rebounds against the Cavaliers for his third triple-double in the past seven games and he recorded a season-high 16 assists in a win over Utah earlier this season.

ABOUT THE JAZZ (26-22): Point guard Ricky Rubio (hamstring) returned from a six-game absence to score 12 points in 14 minutes against Portland. Rubio was on a minutes restriction and he admitted he was having trouble being patient as he felt he could have made a bigger difference against the Trail Blazers. "You've got to trust the doctors," Rubio told reporters. "They're (some) of the best in the business. I want to be able to see the big picture. Sometimes it's frustrating. I wish I would have played more minutes. But I know this is a marathon. It's not just (Monday). It's a long season and I have to take care of my body."

BUZZER BEATERS

1. The Nuggets outscored the Jazz 35-15 in the fourth quarter while registering a 103-88 home win on Nov. 3.

2. Utah C Rudy Gobert notched eight straight double-doubles and has 39 on the season.

3. Denver reserve SG Malik Beasley scored in double digits in six straight games and is averaging 16.2 points on 37-of-62 shooting during the stretch.

PREDICTION: Jazz 106, Nuggets 104