Jazz altitude test should turn into track meet at Ball Arena

The Nuggets host Utah on opening night, and if you're expecting a defensive slugfest, you haven't been paying attention. Both squads live in the fast lane—the Jazz churned through 105.2 possessions per game last season (top-five league-wide), while Denver wasn't far behind at 101.5. When two teams built for tempo collide, especially at altitude where legs turn to concrete by the third quarter, the scoreboard tends to light up like a pinball machine.

Denver's offensive engine remains Nikola Jokic, whose maestro act produced a ridiculous 120.3 offensive efficiency last year. The Jazz counter with their own high-octane attack, posting 111.8 offensive efficiency while pushing pace relentlessly. Utah's transition game forces opponents into track meets, and Denver's more than happy to oblige at home where the thin air turns every possession into a cardio test.

The altitude factor cuts both ways—visiting teams fatigue, but that fatigue breeds chaos and variance, not defensive lockdowns. Expect both offenses to feast early, and neither bench has the personnel to pump the brakes when starters rest.

DarkHorse likes the over 237.5 here, and it's hard to argue. Two elite offenses, elite pace, and Mile High madness? This total might actually be conservative. Strap in for a shootout.