SALT LAKE CITY – Keyonte George and the shorthanded Utah Jazz nearly stunned the scuffling Denver Nuggets in a narrow loss Monday night.
George scored 36 points in the loss, while Denver’s Jamal Murray led all scorers with 45 as the Nuggets escaped Utah with a 128-125 victory.
Gameblog: Jazz fall to Nuggets before road trip
Keyonte George returns to form in narrow Utah Jazz loss
Coming off a pair of sprained ankles and playing alongside unfamiliar faces with Jaren Jackson Jr. and Lauri Markkanen out, George has been asked to carry a heavy offensive load for the Jazz.
The 22-year-old has long flashed overwhelming talent, dating to his Baylor days, but he’s emerging as a full-fledged star in his third NBA season in Utah.
Against Denver, George scored 36 points on 14-for-22 shooting, including 4-for-9 from deep and 4-for-5 at the foul line. He added two rebounds, two assists, and four steals in just 30 minutes.
KEYONTE GEORGE.
FILTHY STEPBACK FOR 31.
He and Jamal Murray (41p) are BATTLING down the stretch in Utah 🍿 pic.twitter.com/eNeuAetBO1
— NBA (@NBA) March 3, 2026
“He’s using his athleticism and his ball handling,” Jazz coach Will Hardy said. “He’s really making a lot of plays for us, getting downhill a couple of times, he splits the double team a couple of times, he tests their outside leg. He’s doing a really, really good job.”
George was at his best in the fourth quarter, scoring 15 points on 6-for-10 shooting in eight minutes and nearly delivering the Nuggets another tough loss.
The guard knows that if he continues to lead the Jazz as he did against Denver, the team’s postseason hopes will become a reality sooner rather than later.
“We just told each other, like, if we play like that every night, there’ll be more fun for us on a night-to-night basis.”
Hardy Warns Against Complacency From Young Roster
As Jazz fans finally see light at the end of a four-year rebuild, coach Will Hardy is warning his players not to share that mindset.
The expected return of Lauri Markkanen, Jaren Jackson Jr., and Walker Kessler should make the Jazz more formidable next season, but Hardy cautioned his young group against assuming anything.
“In the off-season, things change,” Hardy said, “and so right now, all of their focus should be performing at a level where they’re on the team next year.”
Hardy’s message isn’t a threat. It’s a reflection of the urgency the Jazz face this summer as they try to rejoin the postseason race.
“We should be trying to maximize the opportunity we have right now, because there’s nothing that’s promised,” Hardy added. “So much can change in an offseason. We see it all the time in our league. Teams turnover, and they don’t look anything like they looked the year before.”
Eight players on the current roster have guaranteed contracts for next season, and only Markkanen, Jackson Jr., and Keyonte George appear locked into starting roles.
The Jazz have maintained they will keep Kessler through restricted free agency, and Ace Bailey’s promise likely earns him a rotation spot. Still, any of those plans could shift if the right trade emerges.
“That is just the reality of pro sports in our league, and so I hope there’s not a sense of complacency in terms of like, ‘Oh, we’ll just wait, and next year it’ll be better for me or better for us.’ We’ve all got to fight for our space.”
Next Utah Jazz Broadcast
The Jazz will travel to face the Philadelphia 76ers on Wednesday at 5;30 p.m. MST. The game will be televised on KJZZ, streamed on Jazz+, and heard on 97.5 The KSL Sports Zone.
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Ben Anderson is the Utah Jazz insider for KSL Sports and the co-host of Jake and Ben from 10-12p with Jake Scott on 97.5 The KSL Sports Zone. Find Ben on Twitter at @BensHoops, on Instagram @BensHoops, or on BlueSky.
