Utah Jazz Preseason Win Gives Peterson First Start

The Utah Jazz opened their preseason with a 109-97 victory over the Denver Nuggets on Sunday, October 4, giving their rebuilt lineup an encouraging first outing in Boulder, Colorado. The Salt Lake Tribune confirmed the result, with Lauri Markkanen leading Utah on 17 points.

The more consequential development was the starting opportunity for Darryn Peterson. The rookie joined Keyonte George, Markkanen, Jaren Jackson Jr. and Jusuf Nurkic, putting him alongside experienced frontcourt players as Utah begins sorting out how its young guards fit together.

Peterson gets the first opportunity

The No. 2 pick in the 2026 draft started at shooting guard ahead of Ace Bailey, according to Deseret News. Peterson finished with three points on 1-for-5 shooting, six rebounds, two assists and a steal in approximately 19 minutes.

That combination makes his debut more useful as a baseline than a verdict. The shooting offered little immediate reward, but the rebounding and passing gave Utah something to evaluate beyond whether its rookie could score against an NBA opponent.

Bailey, meanwhile, supplied 10 points off the bench. George scored 15 and Jackson added 11, giving Utah multiple established scoring options around Peterson rather than requiring the newcomer to carry the offense immediately.

Markkanen made three of his seven attempts from beyond the arc. Utah led 36-26 after the opening quarter, establishing an advantage before the game moved deeper into experimental combinations and reserve minutes.

Ball movement offers a clearer measuring stick

The most revealing team statistic may be how Utah created its baskets. KSL Sports reported that coach Will Hardy emphasized sharing the ball during training camp, and more than 70 percent of the Jazz's field goals were assisted against Denver.

Peterson's only basket illustrated one possible route into that offense: a handoff from Nurkic that became a baseline floater. For a young guard learning when to attack, those actions can provide a defined starting point without making every possession an isolation test.

There is also reason to resist treating Sunday's lineup as settled. Across Hardy's previous four seasons, only one of Utah's four preseason openers featured the same starting five used on opening night, the broadcaster noted.

Rotation evaluation was incomplete in another respect. Kyle Filipowski, Josh Green and Brice Sensabaugh did not play, leaving additional combinations for the coaching staff to assess when those players are available.

Denver supplies context for the result

The Nuggets played without Jamal Murray, who missed the game for personal reasons, Mile High Sports reported. Tyus Jones started in his place and contributed eight points and six assists.

Nikola Jokic attempted only one field goal while delivering seven assists. Coach David Adelman explained the experimental approach after the game: “Sometimes, [Nikola Jokic] not shooting is good”, he told the outlet, discussing Denver's work on its offense.

That context limits what the margin says about either team's regular-season standing. Utah's more useful takeaway is that its first combination generated an early lead while giving Peterson meaningful work alongside the veterans.

The teams meet again Tuesday, October 6, in Salt Lake City. Watch whether Utah keeps the same starters and whether Peterson turns those shared possessions into more scoring opportunities; the next game offers a direct comparison against a familiar opponent.