Subscribe
Follow Us
The Denver Nuggets begin a short three-game road trip as they take on the Philadelphia 76ers on Monday night. It's time to continue our NBA odds series with a Nuggets-76ers prediction and pick.
The Nuggets are coming off a 127-115 home loss to the Toronto Raptors. It was their second loss in a row, both at home. Now they hope a change of scenery might jolt them back into the victory column. They currently sit sixth in the Western Conference, two games behind the Dallas Mavericks and a game and a half ahead of the Minnesota Timberwolves. The 76ers edged out the Orlando Magic in a sensational 116-114 overtime thriller in Florida on Sunday. Joel Embiid led them with 35 points and 16 rebounds. Now they welcome the Nuggets into their home as they look to keep the momentum going.
Courtesy of FanDuel, here are the Nuggets-76ers odds:
NBA Odds: Nuggets-76ers Odds
Nuggets: +2 (-110)
76ers: -2 (-110)
Over: 220 (-110)
Under: 220 (-112)
Why The Nuggets Could Cover The Spread/Win
The Nuggets may be slumping but they are still a solid team. Nikola Jokic makes them run on a nightly basis as he leads the Nuggets in scoring, averaging 26.1 points per game. He has been their top rebounder, pulling down 13.8 rebounds per game. The man can also distribute the rock as he leads Denver with 8.1 assists per game. Couple that with his 1.3 steals per game, and Jokic carries the Nuggets in all categories.
In his last matchup with the 76ers, Jokic delivered with 30 points on 10 for 17 shooting. He also nailed shots beyond the arc, going 3 for 4 from the triples. But he has some help among his fellow starters.
Will Barton has averaged 14.9 points per game to go with a rebounding average of 4.9. He contributed 19 points on 7 for 14 shooting in the previous match with Philadelphia. Aaron Gordon struggled in that game, scoring only nine points on 4 for 13 shooting from the field. Denver needs him to show up to help take the pressure off Jokic. He has a sore right knee that might cause him to miss the game.
Another thing working in Denver's favor is the recent history against Philadelphia. The Nuggets swept the 76ers last year and had won three of four coming into this season. Jamal Murray was the cog in the engine in those games, and he still has yet to play for the Nuggets this season as he recovers from a torn ACL.
The Nuggets have played well despite his absence as they rank 10th in the NBA in scoring. They also rank third in field goal percentage as they have hit many of their buckets. Their biggest advantage over the 76ers is their rebounding abilities. While they rank only 18th, it is better than the Sixers who rank 29th. The key to this game will be winning that battle and Jokic taking down Embiid. It's a tough task but one they have accomplished before.
Why The 76ers Could Cover/Win
The 76ers had two hiccups over the last eight games and it was the losses to the Miami Heat and the shellacking by the Brooklyn Nets. Otherwise, they have played well over the last 10 games. They maintain a two-and-a-half game deficit behind the first-place Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference. The Milwaukee Bucks are locked in that spot with them and the Chicago Bulls have pulled to a half-game back. This Eastern Conference playoff race is one of the tightest it's been in years.
Embiid is the anchor of this team and he appears to be the front-runner for the Most Valuable Player award, which was given to Jokic last season. He leads the 76ers with 29.8 points per game and has pulled down 11.3 rebounds per game. James Harden has been an exceptional addition to the team, bringing his 10.4 assists per game on board. When Harden is on his game, the 76ers are one of the toughest teams to beat in the NBA.
After an embarrassing performance against the Nets, in which he managed 11 points on 3 for 17 shooting, he recovered nicely on Sunday. Harden scored 26 points against the Magic, helping Embiid and the 76ers to victory. The 76ers need him to help take the pressure off Embiid to secure the W.
The 76ers need to get to the charity stripe and hit their free throws. They are currently the top-ranked team in free throw percentage. But they need to work on making the buckets too. Despite their win over the Magic, they shot a measly 38 percent from the field. The best bet is to control the tempo and slow down the Nuggets.
Final Nuggets-76ers Prediction & Pick
The line is very small in this one and the Nuggets are still hurting. Mix this in with the fact that the 76ers won by 14 in the matchup in Denver and it is an inviting pick. The race in the Eastern Conference is tight and Philadelphia has to take care of winnable games and keep themselves up in the standings. The 76ers will win this game and cover the spread behind the dynamic duo of Embiid and Harden.
Final Nuggets-76ers Prediction & Pick: -2 (-112)
