The Utah Jazz surprised the Denver Nuggets Monday night with a 118-103 win in Salt Lake City. The Jazz are tied with the Kings at the bottom of the Western Conference, but after so many early-season struggles, they’ve won four of their last six. Conversely, the Nuggets are in the No. 9 spot out West and another loss dropped them precariously close to a sub .500 record for the year. Despite the loss, new Nugget J.J. Hickson found time to smash a dunk on rim-protector, Derrick Favors.
Hickson was almost perfect from the field in the loss, going 8-of-9, including the sick smash on Favors. Watch as Hickson screens for Ty Lawson, and rolls to the rim in some traffic just outside the left side of the lane. Lawson’s bounce pass found Hickson perfectly in step for the hammer on Favors.
Hickson’s 21 points and Lawson’s 23 and 11 dimes weren’t enough to overcome a career night from Utah’s Alec Burks, who scored 34 on an outrageous 13-of-19 shooting line.
Favors may have signed a maximum extension to remain with the Jazz through the 2017-18 season, while making better than eight figures a year, he’s got to protect to the rim better than this if he wants to make good on that deal.
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