The Denver Nuggets will face the Portland Trail Blazers on Friday at the Moda Center. This will be the third meeting between the two teams this season, with the Nuggets leading the series 2-0. The Nuggets are currently in fourth place in the Western Conference and will play for the second consecutive night. Nikola Jokic had a triple-double with 21 points, 19 rebounds and 15 assists. Meanwhile, the Blazers are currently in 14th place in the Western Conference after a 128-91 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Preview
The All-Star break came at a crucial moment for the Nuggets, as they were experiencing a challenging period marked by three consecutive losses. They are currently in fourth place in the Western Conference. The break provided an opportunity for the Nuggets to rest and regroup as they look to revive their efforts in the second half of the season. Their overall field goal shooting is strong, ranking eighth, including 13th in three-point shooting.
Meanwhile, the Blazers are coming off six consecutive losses. They lost to the Nuggets in their last two contests by an average of 11 points. Since the playoffs have become an unattainable goal for the Blazers, the remaining weeks of the season will serve as a valuable period to assess their roster, determining which players should remain and which are better suited elsewhere. They are 17th in defense, 29th in scoring, last in field goal percentage and 25th in 3-point shooting.
Starting lineup
The Nuggets are expected to start with Jamal Murray, K.Caldwell-Pope, Michael Porter Jr., Nikola Jokic and Aaron Gordon. Meanwhile, the Blazers will likely start with Scoot Henderson, Anfernee Simons, Toumani Camara, Jerami Grant and Deandre Ayton.
Betting tips & Prediction
Nikola Jokic is averaging 26 points, 12.1 rebounds and 9.1 assists. His point prop is set at over/under 24.5 and is favorable to surpass or reach this mark. Jamal Murray is averaging 20.4 points, 3.9 rebounds and 6.5 assists. His point prop is set at 19.5 over/under and is favorable to surpass or reach this mark. Simmons is averaging 22.9 points, 3.5 rebounds and 5.3 assists. His point prop is set at over/under 24.5 and is favorable to reach this mark.
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The Denver Nuggets are favored to win the upcoming contest against the Blazers. They are favored at -9 point spread and -420 on the moneyline. However, the Denver Nuggets have not covered the spread in eight of their last 10 games. The Blazers are favored to cross the over mark at 218.
