# Jazz–Nuggets rivalry

The Jazz–Nuggets rivalry is a National Basketball Association (NBA) rivalry between the Utah Jazz and the Denver Nuggets. The rivalry dates back to the 1976–77 NBA season, when the Nuggets joined the NBA as a result of the ABA–NBA merger. The rivalry is notable in that it features the only two NBA teams based in the Rocky Mountains.

## Season-by-season results

New Orleans/Utah Jazz vs. Denver Nuggets Season-by-Season Results :
1970s (Nuggets, 12–6)
SeasonSeason seriesat New Orleans/Utah Jazzat Denver NuggetsOverall seriesNotes
1976–77
Nuggets
3–1
Tie, 1–1
Nuggets, 2–0
Nuggets 3–1
As a result of the ABA–NBA merger, the Jazz and Nuggets joined the same league. The Nuggets were placed in the Western Conference and the Midwest Division. Nuggets win the Midwest Division.
1977–78
Nuggets
3–1
Tie, 1–1
Nuggets, 2–0
Nuggets 6–2
Nuggets win the Midwest Division.
1978–79
Nuggets
3–1
Tie, 1–1
Nuggets, 2–0
Nuggets 9–3
Final season Jazz played as a New Orleans-based team.
1979–80
Tie
3–3
Jazz, 2–1
Nuggets, 2–1
Nuggets 12–6
Jazz relocate to Salt Lake City, Utah, open Salt Palace, and are moved to the Western Conference and the Midwest Division, becoming divisional rivals with the Nuggets. :
1980s (Jazz, 36–32)
SeasonSeason seriesat Utah Jazzat Denver NuggetsOverall seriesNotes
1980–81
Jazz
4–2
Jazz, 2–1
Jazz, 2–1
Nuggets 14–10
Jazz record their first season series win against the Nuggets and finish with a winning record in Denver for the first time.
1981–82
Tie
3–3
Jazz, 2–1
Nuggets, 2–1
Nuggets 17–13
On February 10, 1982, Jazz beat the Nuggets 151–148, their most points scored in a game against the Nuggets. On March 16, 1982, Nuggets beat the Jazz 154–138, their most points scored in a game against the Jazz. On April 10, 1982, Jazz beat the Nuggets 151–136, tied for their most points scored in a game against the Nuggets.
1982–83
Nuggets
4–2
Jazz, 2–1
Nuggets, 3–0
Nuggets 21–15
1983–84
Tie
3–3
Jazz, 3–0
Nuggets, 3–0
Nuggets 24–18
Jazz win their first Midwest Division.
1984 Western Conference First Round
Jazz
3–2
Jazz, 2–1
Tie, 1–1
Nuggets 26–21
1st postseason series.
1984–85
Nuggets
4–2
Jazz, 2–1
Nuggets, 3–0
Nuggets 30–23
Jazz draft PG John Stockton. Nuggets win the Midwest Division.
1985 Western Conference Semifinals
Nuggets
4–1
Tie, 1–1
Nuggets, 3–0
Nuggets 34–24
2nd postseason series.
1985–86
Tie
3–3
Jazz, 2–1
Nuggets, 2–1
Nuggets 37–27
Jazz draft PF Karl Malone.
1986–87
Jazz
4–2
Jazz, 3–0
Nuggets, 2–1
Nuggets 39–31
1987–88
Jazz
4–2
Jazz, 2–1
Jazz, 2–1
Nuggets 41–35
Nuggets win the Midwest Division.
1988–89
Tie
3–3
Jazz, 3–0
Nuggets, 3–0
Nuggets 44–38
Jazz win the Midwest Division.
1989–90
Jazz
4–0
Jazz, 2–0
Jazz, 2–0
Nuggets 44–42
Jazz record their first season series sweep against the Nuggets. Last season Nuggets held the overall series record. :
1990s (Jazz, 36–15)
SeasonSeason seriesat Utah Jazzat Denver NuggetsOverall seriesNotes
1990–91
Jazz
3–1
Jazz, 2–0
Tie, 1–1
Tie 45–45
Last season Jazz played at Salt Palace.
1991–92
Jazz
5–1
Jazz, 3–0
Jazz, 2–1
Jazz 50–46
Jazz open Delta Center. Jazz win the Midwest Division.
1992–93
Jazz
3–2
Jazz, 2–1
Tie, 1–1
Jazz 53–48
1993–94
Jazz
4–1
Jazz, 2–0
Jazz, 2–1
Jazz 57–49
1994 Western Conference Semifinals
Jazz
4–3
Jazz, 3–1
Nuggets, 2–1
Jazz 61–52
3rd postseason series. Nuggets became the first team since the 1951 New York Knicks to force a Game 7 after being down 0–3.
1994–95
Jazz
4–1
Jazz, 3–0
Tie, 1–1
Jazz 65–53
On February 1, 1995, Jazz beat the Nuggets 129–88, their largest victory against the Nuggets with a 41–point differential.
1995–96
Nuggets
3–1
Tie, 1–1
Nuggets, 2–0
Jazz 66–56
Nuggets win the season series against the Jazz for the first time since the 1985 Western Conference Semifinals and the 1984 season in the regular season.
1996–97
Jazz
4–0
Jazz, 2–0
Jazz, 2–0
Jazz 70–56
Jazz win the Midwest Division. Jazz lose 1997 NBA Finals.
1997–98
Jazz
4–0
Jazz, 2–0
Jazz, 2–0
Jazz 74–56
Jazz win the Midwest Division. Jazz finish with the best record in the league (62–20). Jazz lose 1998 NBA Finals.
1998–99
Jazz
2–1
Jazz, 2–0
Nuggets, 1–0
Jazz 76–57
Last matchup at McNichols Sports Arena.
1999–2000
Tie
2–2
Jazz, 2–0
Nuggets, 2–0
Jazz 78–59
Nuggets open Pepsi Center (now known as Ball Arena). Jazz win the Midwest Division. :
2000s (Jazz, 25–15)
SeasonSeason seriesat Utah Jazzat Denver NuggetsOverall seriesNotes
2000–01
Jazz
3–1
Jazz, 2–0
Tie, 1–1
Jazz 81–60
2001–02
Jazz
3–1
Jazz, 2–0
Tie, 1–1
Jazz 84–61
2002–03
Jazz
4–0
Jazz, 2–0
Jazz, 2–0
Jazz 88–61
Jazz win 14 home games in a row against the Nuggets. Last season Karl Malone played for the Jazz. Last season for Jazz's PG John Stockton.
2003–04
Nuggets
3–1
Tie, 1–1
Nuggets, 2–0
Jazz 89–64
2004–05
Tie
2–2
Tie, 1–1
Tie, 1–1
Jazz 91–66
Jazz and Nuggets are moved to the Northwest Division.
2005–06
Jazz
3–1
Jazz, 2–0
Tie, 1–1
Jazz 94–67
On January 20, 2006, Nuggets beat the Jazz 113–83, their largest victory against the Jazz with a 30–point differential. Nuggets win their first Northwest Division.
2006–07
Jazz
3–1
Tie, 1–1
Jazz, 2–0
Jazz 97–68
Jazz win their first Northwest Division.
2007–08
Jazz
3–1
Jazz, 2–0
Tie, 1–1
Jazz 100–69
Jazz record their 100th win against the Nuggets. Jazz win the Northwest Division.
2008–09
Tie
2–2
Jazz, 2–0
Nuggets, 2–0
Jazz 102–71
Nuggets win the Northwest Division.
2009–10
Nuggets
3–1
Tie, 1–1
Nuggets, 2–0
Jazz 103–74
Nuggets win the Northwest Division. :
2010s (Jazz, 24–20)
SeasonSeason seriesat Utah Jazzat Denver NuggetsOverall seriesNotes
2010 Western Conference First Round
Jazz
4–2
Jazz, 3–0
Nuggets, 2–1
Jazz 107–76
4th postseason series.
2010–11
Tie
2–2
Tie, 1–1
Tie, 1–1
Jazz 109–78
2011–12
Jazz
2–1
Jazz, 1–0
Tie, 1–1
Jazz 111–79
2012–13
Nuggets
3–1
Tie, 1–1
Nuggets, 2–0
Jazz 112–82
2013–14
Tie
2–2
Tie, 1–1
Tie, 1–1
Jazz 114–84
2014–15
Tie
2–2
Tie, 1–1
Tie, 1–1
Jazz 116–86
2015–16
Jazz
4–0
Jazz, 2–0
Jazz, 2–0
Jazz 120–86
C Nikola Jokić makes his debut for the Nuggets. Jazz's first season series sweep against the Nuggets since the 2002 season.
2016–17
Tie
2–2
Jazz, 2–0
Nuggets, 2–0
Jazz 122–88
Jazz win the Northwest Division.
2017–18
Tie
2–2
Jazz, 2–0
Nuggets, 2–0
Jazz 124–90
2018–19
Jazz
3–1
Jazz, 2–0
Tie, 1–1
Jazz 127–91
Nuggets win the Northwest Division.
2019–20
Nuggets
3–0
Nuggets, 1–0
Nuggets, 2–0
Jazz 127–94
Nuggets record their first season series sweep against the Jazz and finish with a winning record in Utah for the first time. Nuggets win the Northwest Division. :
2020s (Nuggets, 13–12)
SeasonSeason seriesat Utah Jazzat Denver NuggetsOverall seriesNotes
2020 Western Conference First Round
Nuggets
4–3
Jazz, 2–1
Nuggets, 3–1
Jazz 130–98
5th postseason series. Games were played at the 2020 NBA Bubble. Nuggets became the 12th team in NBA history to overcome a 3–1 deficit.
2020–21
Jazz
2–1
Jazz, 1–0
Tie, 1–1
Jazz 132–99
Jazz win the Northwest Division. Jazz finish with the best record in the league (52–20).
2021–22
Jazz
4–0
Jazz, 2–0
Jazz, 2–0
Jazz 136–99
Jazz win the Northwest Division.
2022–23
Tie
2–2
Jazz, 2–0
Nuggets, 2–0
Jazz 138–101
Nuggets record their 100th win against the Jazz. Nuggets win the Northwest Division. Nuggets win 2023 NBA Finals.
2023–24
Nuggets
3–1
Tie, 1–1
Nuggets, 2–0
Jazz 139–104
2024–25
Nuggets
3–0
Nuggets, 2–0
Nuggets, 1–0
Jazz 139–107 :
Summary of Results
SeasonSeason seriesat New Orleans/Utah Jazzat Denver NuggetsNotes
Regular season games
Jazz
124–91
Jazz, 84–24
Nuggets, 68–40
Postseason games
Tie
15–15
Jazz, 11–4
Nuggets, 11–4
Postseason series
Jazz
3–2
Jazz, 2–0
Nuggets, 2–1
Western Conference First Round: 1984, 2010, 2020 Western Conference Semifinals: 1985, 1994
Regular and postseason
Jazz
139–107
Jazz, 95–28
Nuggets, 79–44
Both teams are tied 3–3 record in New Orleans. Jazz currently have a 92–24 record in Salt Lake City, Utah. :