After starting off their championship defense at a perfect 3-0 to begin the season, the Denver Nuggets are simply on another level at the moment. On Monday night, the Utah Jazz will try to hand the Nuggets their first loss of the year in a showdown at Ball Arena. Join us for our NBA odds series where our Jazz-Nuggets prediction and pick will be revealed.

For starters, the Jazz are fresh off getting spanked by the Phoenix Suns in a 22-point loss. As it stands, Utah comes into this contest with a 1-2 record and are in clear rebuild mode after missing out on the postseason during the 2022-2023 season. Still, as a team that also plays at high altitude, will Utah be fresh enough to shock the Nuggets on their own home floor?

Ladies and gentlemen, the Nuggets may be even better than what they were last season when they went a red-hot 16-4 during the playoffs and looked near unbeatable. Newsflash, but there doesn't seem to be any championship hangover occurring whatsoever in the Mile High City as the Nuggets easily disposed of the young and promising Oklahoma City Thunder by a score of 128-95. Simply, this team's chemistry as a unit is second to none, and beating this squad on any night of the week will prove to be a tough task all season long.

Here are the NBA odds, courtesy of FanDuel. 

NBA Odds: Jazz-Nuggets Odds

Utah Jazz: +8.5 (-110)

Denver Nuggets: -8.5 (-110)

Over: 227.5 (-110)

Under: 227.5 (-110)

How to Watch Jazz vs. Nuggets

Time: 9:00 ET/6:00 PT

TV: Altitude Sports

Stream: fuboTV (Click for free trial)

Why The Jazz Could Cover The Spread

In order to cover the spread, there is no doubt that the Jazz will need to get off to a hot start and eliminate the confidence that the Nuggets will possess in front of their home fans. Of course, Utah cannot play like they did when they got curb-stomped against Phoenix, and this defense is a big reason to blame.

A big reason why the Jazz missed the playoffs was due to a porous defense that lacked the tenacity and skillset to consistently get stops. Through the first few games of the season, it appears those same problems have reared their ugly heads yet again. Remarkably enough, the Jazz have surrendered at least 120 points in their opening three games of the year and this cannot be a trend that continues if Utah wants to remained competitive within a locked and loaded Western Conference.

Above all else, the Jazz will also need to rely on their superstar in Lauri Markkanen who has been unconscious from three-point range. In impressive fashion, the 26-year-old Sweden playmaker is connecting on 46% of his three-point attempts and if he can get hot from the opening tip, then they could give Denver a run for their money.

Why The Nuggets Could Cover The Spread

This team is flat out special. While a three-game sample is not very large to take away from, many experts and analysts expecting a major championship hangover were gravely mistaken. Indeed, if the Nuggets keep up on this torrid pace, then a true dynasty that we haven't seen the likes of since the late 2010's Golden State could be forming right in front of our eyes.

All in all, the biggest concern that the Nuggets will have heading into this Monday night tilt will be the fact that they will be playing the second game of a back-to-back after punishing the Thunder yesterday. If there is any cause for worry, then being winded and possibly fatigued down the stretch of this one could end up hurting Denver.

Nevertheless, not only do the Nuggets own the best starting lineup in the NBA hands down, but the uneasiness surrounding this bench unit for most of the offseason has simply evaporated into thin air. In fact, this Denver bench looks so deep and ferocious defensively that it may spell trouble for the rest of the league.

After the departure of Bruce Brown to the Indiana Pacers, the Nuggets elected to turn to some young guns to bolster that bench, and it has seemingly paid off in the early going of the season. As a whole, this defense us absolutely swarming, and unlike the Jazz, forcing turnovers and getting stops will prove to be their specialty on this Monday night.

Final Jazz-Nuggets Prediction & Pick

Don't think too hard about this one. Simply put, Denver is in a whole other league right now compared to the Jazz, and even off short rest, this one could get ugly in Colorado.

Final Jazz-Nuggets Prediction & Pick: Nuggets -8.5 (-110)