The Denver Nuggets are on the road to Madison Square Garden to take on the inferno Knicks. After two back-to-back 143 points wins, they are in for a show against the reigning MVP. With the Nuggets trending up as Jamal Murray takes form, this will be a battle of the two of the best teams in the league, tipping off at 7:30 PM ET.
Spencer Jones Out
Josh Hart Questionable
Kevin McCullar Jr Out
Pacome Dadiet Out
Mitchell Robinson Out
The Knicks have hit their midseason stride. With back to back dominant performances over Memphis and Sacramento, they’ve been unstoppable. Tonight will be a different challenge though with Nikola Jokic in the building. The reigning MVP won’t be as easy to topple, but his supporting cast might be.
The Nuggets have been help back by the role players all year. A lack of bench depth and slow start from starters has put the entire team on Jokic’s back. Jamal Murray at least has turned the corner a bit. With his January looking far closer to his career averages than earlier this year.
The largest development for this team has been adding Westbrook into the starting lineup. He’s provided an extra layer of hustle, and scrappiness the team was lacking. Pair that with Jokic having one of the best offensive seasons ever, and this team is no joke.
Of course, they’ll be taking on the Knicks in MSG, which is never an easy task. With the Knicks playing out of their minds, scoring 143 point in both of their last two games, everything has been clicking. This starting roster is stacked top to bottom with elite players. If everything is flowing, it’s hard for any team to slow them down. The achilles heel of this roster is the bench. They just don’t have anyone their expect Miles McBride.
However, the bench won’t matter tonight as Thibs will probable be playing the starters all night again. Making for a challenging matchup for Denver. There is a strong chance that the Knicks will simply overwhelm the Nuggets with offenes tonight. With better matchups at the wings, and point guard position, Denver might struggle to contain all the scoring options.
Money line: DEN (+124) /NYK (-148)
Total Points: 240
Spread: +3 DEN (-115) / -3 NYK (-105)
It’s hard to go against current trends. The Knicks have been on a tear lately, destroying their opponents. Having this game at home after two massive wins, they should be solidly in the money. The Nuggets have been better, and Jokic is still the best player in the world, but the talent of the Knicks is undeniable. Don’t overthink it, take the Knicks at home.
It’s hard to say, considering how these teams have been scoring. The 240 mark always feels high, but Denver isn’t a stout defensive team. If the Knicks can keep the scoring up like they have, this will be shoot out. Even if they lose, the score will likely be near this total.
Again, it's the hot hand. The Nuggets have elite talent, but the Knicks are looking like one of the best teams in the league. That might not last, but cash in on them while they're hot. With only a three-point spread, this should be doable.
Jalen Brunson Over 25.5 (-125)
Well, Brunson wasn’t much of a factor in the last matchup against the Grizzlies. Because he didn’t need to be, in such a blowout game, but tonight, he’ll be needed. Brunson will be in a great position to score big tonight against Jamal Murray, Christian Braun, and Russel Westbrook. Expect big numbers out of the leading guard for New York.
Karl Anthony Towns Under 12.5 Rebounds (-140)
It’s never an easy night going against Nikola Jokic, and it won’t be any different tonight. Despite Town’s monster efforts on the boards all year, he’ll likely rely on team rebound more than ever tonight. With Jokic as one of the most efficient scores, he won’t have all the usual opportunities to rack up rebounds as normal. Go with the under.
Josh Hart Over 22.5 Combined Points + Rebounds (-125)
This is a game where Josh Hart can thrive. As scrappy as this man is, he’ll hustle all night on the boards and work in the paint. With how thin Denver is on their guard position, Hart should take care of business. Especially with Towns guarding Jokic all night, Hart will likely be working overtime on securing rebounds. Expect Hart to have a solid night on both ends of the floor.
Russel Westbrook Over 6.5 Assists (+114)
These are the type of nights Westbrook is built for. There are few players less intimidated by the bright lights than him. He’ll likely have a massive role off the bench creating offense. Averaging 6.4 assists a game, hitting this number feels extremely doable for the former MVP.