Utah rookie guard Donovan Mitchell will always be linked to the Nuggets, the team that drafted him for the Jazz as part of the trade that sent Trey Lyles and the first-round pick that became Tyler Lydon to Denver.
But Mitchell, who entered Tuesday leading the Jazz in scoring with 18 points per game while adding 3.1 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 1.5 steals per game, said he does not feel extra motivation while matching up against Denver.
“I’m past that,” said Mitchell, who has averaged 13 points, two rebounds and three assists in his first two games against Denver. “Maybe the first week I was like, ‘Man, I got traded.’ You learn the business within the first two or three minutes of being in the league. …
“I’m happy where I’m at. I’m blessed to have this opportunity. Just treating it like a regular game, not really looking at it like oh, this is the team that traded me.”
Nuggets coach Michael Malone praised Mitchell’s two-way impact and aggressive “downhill” playing style. But the coach pivoted a question about the trade to the recent impact of Lyles, who has scored at least 15 points in six of his last eight games and entered Tuesday ranked third in the NBA in 3-point field-goal percentage (47.1).
“The only thing that I can say is that obviously we got Trey Lyles in that deal, and Trey Lyles has been great for us,” Malone said. “Early on in the season, he wasn’t getting time, because we signed Paul Millsap. But ever since Paul went down, you talk about a guy taking advantage of an opportunity, Trey Lyles is doing that in a big, big way.”
Footnotes: Backup point guard Emmanuel Mudiay, who missed Denver’s previous four games with a sprained ankle, returned to the active roster. With Mudiay available again, the Nuggets sent two-way rookie guard Monte Morris back to the G League’s Rio Grande Valley Vipers. … Big man Mason Plumlee, who twice dislocated his finger Saturday at Golden State, started against the Jazz.
DENVER AT MINNESOTA
When: 6 p.m. Wednesday
Where: Target Center, Minneapolis
Spotlight on Jimmy Butler: The Timberwolves’ marquee offseason addition via a draft-night trade has been terrific in December, scoring 25 points or more six times, including in last week’s 112-104 comeback road victory over the Nuggets. Butler compiled 11 of his 25 points in Denver in the final five minutes to clinch that win, and added four assists and two rebounds. This season, he’s averaging a team-high 20.7 points per game to go with 5.5 rebounds and 4.8 assists. He’s also known as an excellent wing defender, averaging 1.8 steals per game.
