For this preview we’ll look at two teams heading in opposite directions as the Brooklyn Nets play the Denver Nuggets. This game is another matchup of solid offense meeting great defense, but it seems that defense typically comes out on top. With Brooklyn playing shorthanded tonight, they’ll lack the firepower they need to overpower Denver.
Brooklyn Nets (4-6) @ Denver Nuggets (7-3)
Brooklyn
The Nets have been back and forth all season, but it looks like their future is ominous considering injuries to their two top scorers. Kyrie Irving has been consistent all year, but there’s always the possibility that he loses interest if the Nets continue to struggle. This season is certainly a wash because Kevin Durant won’t play until next year, but that doesn’t mean that they can’t still win some games.
- Star Kyrie Irving is questionable for tonight’s game due to a shoulder injury and Caris LeVert will be out a few weeks with a thumb injury.
- After winning 2 in a row, Brooklyn has lost their last 2
- The Nets are just 1-4 on the road this season.
- Spencer Dinwiddie has been fantastic off the bench this year, averaging 17.1 points and 4.7 assists. He’ll need to produce more if the team will have any chance tonight.
- Brooklyn sports one of the best offensive lineups, 2nd in the league for points per game (2), 7th for field goal percentage (46.6%), 5th for 3-point shooting (37.8%), and 5th for free throw attempts (26.8).
- On the other hand, their defense is awful. They are 2nd-worst in points allowed (4) and 5th-worst for opponent 3-point shooting (37.3%).
- The Nets are 3-1 at covering the point spread their last 4 games, but are just 4-6 on the season.
Denver
The Nuggets are quietly a scary team this year because they’ve been in a good position to win all but 1 of their games this year. 2 of their 3 losses have come against teams with losing records and 4 of their 7 wins are against teams with winning records. Their best player (Jokic) isn’t playing up to his full potential, but it isn’t stopping the Nuggets from mostly cruising through the season. Denver will surely be a terrifying matchup for any team come playoff time.
- Malik Beasley is questionable tonight with an illness and Jerami Grant will play after a finger sprain in his last outing.
- Denver’s 4-game winning streak was snapped with a loss to Atlanta in their last
- The Nuggets are 3-2 at home this year.
- 5 players are scoring in double digits this season, including Murray (7), Jokic (17.0), Barton (15.6), Millsap (12.8), and Harris (11.0).
- Denver’s greatest strength is their defense. They rank in the top 10 for lowest opponent scoring per game (8), field goal shooting (43.1%), and 3-point shooting (31.9%).
- To compensate, their offense is downright bad. They are in the bottom 5 for scoring per game (1) and field goal shooting (43%).
- The Nuggets have failed to cover the point spread in their last 3 games, but they are also 4-6 on the season.
Pick: Denver Nuggets -8.0
While Brooklyn definitely has one of the league’s better offenses, they won’t be at full strength with at least one of their top scorers out with injury. Even worse, if Kyrie Irving does play, Denver won’t have an issue locking him down with their stellar defense. The Nuggets may struggle on offense, but they don’t need it to win their games. This is why you should lay the points and bet on the Denver Nuggets finally covering the point spread and winning tonight.