The Denver Nuggets conclude their four-game road swing by making a stop at the Wells Fargo Center to tip off against the Philadelphia 76ers. A losing streak will be snapped tonight as Denver has dropped back-to-back games this week, while Philadelphia is also on a two-game slide. These two clubs collided nearly two weeks ago at the Pepsi Center with the Nuggets securing a 126-110 victory but they are a 4.5-point underdog in tonight’s game with the total Sportsbook at 228.5.
- Denver is 8-3 SU and 6-5 ATS in its last 11 games.
- Philadelphia is averaging the sixth-most points per game in the league over its last 15 games.
- The total has gone OVER in 10 of Denver’s last 13 games.
Nuggets Trying to Save Road Trip
Denver was feeling good heading into its four-game road swing having rattled off five straight victories and it continued that hot play with a narrow 107-106 triumph at Minnesota on Saturday for a sixth win in a row. However, it has dropped its two games vs Eastern Conference opponents on this trip and is now looking to avoid its first three-game skid since it lost four in a row in mid-November.
The Nuggets have been pouring in points with ease recently, scoring an average of 116.1 ppg over their last 15 contests to rank eighth in the Association. Most notably, they are making the most of their opportunities, hitting 49.5 percent of their field-goal attempts to rank second over that span. Additionally, they are dominating around the rim, ranking third by averaging 56.3 points per game in the paint over their last 15 tests.
On the defensive side of the ball, Denver is surrendering an average of 111.1 points per game over its last 15 matches, ranking smack-dab in the middle of the league at 15th. It is doing a great job limiting its opponents’ shot attempts, giving up the fifth-fewest shots per game, and that can be attributed to strong possession numbers, as the Nuggets are averaging just 11.6 turnovers per game to lead the league over that span. They are also grabbing the seventh-most offensive rebounds to further limit extra scoring opportunities for their foes.
Sixers looking to avoid a season-long losing streak
For the fourth time this season, Philadelphia enters a game on a two-game losing slide, though the 76ers have not yet lost three in a row. The Sixers have been struggling to find consistency recently, going 9-6 SU in their last 15 games without having a streak of more than three wins or two losses in a row over that span.
Philly has been shooting the ball well over its last 15 contests, hitting 48.4 percent from the floor to rank sixth in the Association, but is taking the ninth-fewest shots per game at 87.1. The Sixers are doing a lot of their damage inside the key as they have chipped in 51.3 points per game in the paint in their last 15 to rank sixth. They are also doing a good job moving the ball around the court, with the No. 2 mark in assists per game at 29.3.
Defensively, they are giving up 111.2 points per game in their last 15 matches to rate 16th. Their middle-of-the-road defense is evident in many categories, including opponent three-point percentage (14th) and opponent shooting percentage (15th). That being said, they have done a fantastic job cleaning the glass, restricting foes to just 41.5 rebounds per game, the third-fewest in the NBA. An area of concern, though, is around the key, giving up the eighth-most ppg inside the paint.
Which side of the total should you be on?
Tonight’s game has two teams that are ranked in the top 10 in scoring in their last 15 contests and Sportsbook has the total Sportsbook at 228.5 points. Denver has been an OVER machine recently, going OVER in 10 of its last 13 games with an average combined score of 230.15, and seven of its last 13 have gone OVER 228.5 points. Conversely, Philadelphia has gone UNDER in seven of its last nine with only three tests going OVER 228.5 points over that span.
Both teams have been scoring with ease recently, while their defenses have been just OK. The Sixers visited the Nuggets on January 26 and they played to a combined score of 236. I think both teams are going to be able to fill the bucket once again.You should be on the OVER.
My take on Denver vs Philadelphia
I like Denver +4.5 tonight. Both teams have been fairly evenly matched statistically over their last 15 games, but the Nuggets have a slight edge over the 76ers in many of the categories. The biggest red flag is that Philly is struggling to stop teams in the paint and Denver pours in the third-most ppg from inside the key. When they met on January 26, the Nuggets earned a 126-110 victory, scoring 74 points in the paint to Philadelphia’s 40.
