Denver Nuggets at Utah Jazz

Alpha Diallo, fighting for a Nuggets roster spot, stood out to David Adelman postgame: "He guarded their best players... He did things that other guys weren't doing." Adelman's warning: "Spencer Jones isn't even playing. So the minutes to be found will be earned."

Jamal Murray returned for Denver after missing the last preseason game. David Adelman: "Last game without Jamal, then this game with him, I thought the looks were great." He thought the starters, who played only the first half, could have scored in the 70s by the break.

Jamal Murray was out, so Denver's David Adelman gave Julian Strawther ball-handling duties: "it was almost a good way to force us to do stuff like that with Jules." Strawther said he "felt real comfortable" there, "But I know what my main role on the squad is."

Trevon Brazile knew Spencer Jones not playing meant more minutes, so he studied film with Denver's development staff, then started against Lauri Markkanen and Jaren Jackson Jr. Coach David Adelman said he earned it every day, but "I'm going to rotate that spot."

Christian Braun: asked whether his minutes show he's 100% for the season, Denver's David Adelman didn't say so. He pointed to Braun's dunk instead: "his confidence to get the dunk, to feel the explosion back, not at practice with a crowd there."

DeMar DeRozan will be Denver's first man off the bench, coach David Adelman said postgame, but how to split his minutes is still open: "I got to find out what DeMar's comfortability is with that." Who sits when DeRozan enters will vary through the preseason.