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Denver • You can't let a game beat you twice.

Of all the Quin Snyder mantras surrounding the Utah Jazz — and there are a lot — that was the one he wanted to get through to all of his players, entering Sunday afternoon's matchup against the Denver Nuggets.

Yes, the Jazz suffered a difficult loss at the hands of the Los Angeles Clippers on Friday night. And, yes, that loss was pretty inexcusable, considering the Clippers were resting most of their playing rotation.

But Snyder wanted to avoid a hangover. The preparation for the Nuggets was as much mental as it was physical for the Jazz. Responding to one of their worst losses of the season was essential to their playoff well-being.

"We just have to get back to being who we are," Snyder said. "I told the guys that we can't let one game beat us twice. We played well against the Clippers and were up by seven with two minutes remaining. We still lost the game, but that doesn't change who we have to be against the Nuggets. We still have to take care of our business. That's the mindset that we have to have."

The Jazz have been very good this season at responding to difficult losses, and Sunday's game against Denver was no exception. The Jazz were a more focused group against the Nuggets than they were on Friday in the loss to the Clippers. They defended better. They had crisp ball-movement, and they were able to play well because of it.

Playing harder, and better, was an emphasis among the players, something Jazz forward Gordon Hayward addressed about 90 minutes before game time.

"We can't dwell on the last game, that's important for us," Hayward said. "Tonight is just as important, if not more important. We have to live in the moment."

Surprise omission

Jazz forward Derrick Favors was a late scratch from Sunday's game, leaving the lineup right before tipoff with knee soreness. Rookie forward Trey Lyles started in Favors' place, and scored a game-high 15 points in the first half.

Dealing with it

Jazz guard Alec Burks said he experienced calf soreness following his return from a broken fibula on Friday night. He said it was expected and that it was nothing to be worried about.

"I'm just glad that I was able to get that first game out of the way," Burks said. "I feel good, and I'm just ready to keep playing."

Burks played 13:59 in Sunday's game, going scoreless on 0-for-4 shooting but notching five rebounds and two assists.

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