Darryn Peterson drops 23 points in Delta Center debut
Oct 6, 2026, 10:28 PM
SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH - OCTOBER 6: Darryn Peterson #22 of the Utah Jazz works the ball against Cam Johnson #23 of the Denver Nuggets during the first half of their preseason game at the Delta Center on October 6, 2026 in Salt Lake City, Utah. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Chris Gardner/ Getty Images)
(Photo by Chris Gardner/ Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY — The Utah Jazz played their first game at the Delta Center in about six months, falling to the Denver Nuggets 117-106 in a preseason rematch on Tuesday.
Darryn Peterson led the team in scoring with a game-high 23 points on 10/18 shooting. Ace Bailey was the second-leading scorer with 10.
The Utah Jazz fall 117-106 in the preseason home opener.
Darryn Peterson was the games leading scorer with 23 points.
#TakeNote https://t.co/9yWFymWWgX
— KSL Sports (@kslsports) October 7, 2026
A Pinch Of Rim Protection
With Jusuf Nurkic and Lauri Markkanen sidelined, the Jazz rolled out a starting lineup of Keyonte George, Darryn Peterson, Ace Bailey, Jaren Jackson Jr., and Jaxson Hayes.
Nurkic and Markkanen are two of the slower players on the roster on the defensive end. With those two replaced by Ace and Hayes, Utah’s first five were flying around the court early in the game.
The defense wasn’t perfect, but that specific lineup provided more of a daunting rim presence than any lineup we saw in Sunday’s game.
Those two finished with just a block apiece, but Denver only converted on two shots at the rim in the first quarter.
The good from the @utahjazz in the first half:
• Darryn Peterson + Keyonte George have the makings of a dynamic backcourt.
• Ace Bailey looks even more polished.
• JJJ and Jaxson Hayes are giving the Jazz some badly needed rim protection.
— Ben Anderson (@BensHoops) October 7, 2026
An Improved Second Outing For Peterson
Utah’s No. 2 overall pick left a lot to be desired in his preseason debut, finishing with just three points on 1/5 shooting.
Head coach Will Hardy said before Tuesday’s game that he felt Peterson was overly cautious and wasn’t playing freely, which led to a “frozen” performance.
He wasn’t himself in the first game, that wasn’t the Darryn we’ve seen in camp. Sometimes, when you’re trying to be perfect on every play and you don’t want to screw up, you play a little bit frozen. We’ve seen Darryn play much more freely in practice. In that game, I felt like we was trying to be overly precise.
That was not the case at all in game two.
After a solid 12 points and three assists in the first half, he caught fire and scored 11 points on 62.5 percent shooting in the third quarter.
Peterson in the third quarter:
11 points on 62.5% shooting 🔥 https://t.co/hUK9bBsbHt
— Chandler Holt (@CHoltSports) October 7, 2026
His night came to an end with 23 points, three rebounds, and three assists on 10/18 shooting.
Will Hardy’s Point Of View: The Young Players
Prior to the preseason home opener against Denver, Hardy touched on both Peterson and Bailey’s game one performances.
I thought it was the best basketball game Ace has played for us in the last year. Points and stats are easy things to click on, and they get a lot of likes on social media. But to win, you have to contribute on both sides of the ball, I thought Ace was outstanding defensively. His activity level was off the charts. I was very pleased with his first game.
And Hardy ended his recap of Peterson’s performance by saying:
I feel like tonight we will see a Darryn that’s a little more settled in.
Hardy was spot on about DP, and Ace put up a comparable performance to the one that got glowing reviews two days earlier.
Peterson and Bailey were the only two Jazz players to score in double figures. Bailey scored 10 points and added three offensive rebounds (seven total), three assists, and two stocks.
Will Hardy said Sundays preseason game against the Nuggets was Ace Bailey’s best game as a member of the Jazz.
#TakeNote | @kslsports
— Chandler Holt (@CHoltSports) October 6, 2026
Jazz vs. Nuggets Quick Hits
- As was the case in game one, all of Utah’s rotational players hit the bench by the end of the third quarter. George and Jackson Jr.’s nights came to an end at halftime.
- Josh Green made his preseason debut for the Jazz. His first appearance came halfway through the third quarter, and he finished with two rebounds and two assists.
- Despite it being preseason, things started to get chippy in the second quarter. There were 30 total fouls in the first half, 21 came in the second.
- The Utah Jazz will enjoy five days off before returning to action against the San Antonio Spurs on Monday, October 12.
