The Denver Nuggets (9-5 SU, 7-7 ATS) entertain the Philadelphia 76ers (8-7, 7-8) on Thursday at Ball Arena. The hosts look to get back into the win column after having their five-game streak snapped on Monday, while the 76ers will try to stop a five-game losing skid.
- Date/Time: November 18, 9 p.m. ET
- Arena: Ball Arena
- TV Coverage: Altitude, NBA TV, NBC Sports Philadelphia Plus
- Sportsbook Odds: Nuggets -8 | O/U 208.5 (Line History)
- 76ers vs Nuggets Matchup Report
Sportsbook Odds Analysis
The Nuggets opened as 8-point favorites at home over the struggling 76ers. The total was set at 208.5 points with the UNDER going 10-4 in Denver’s last 14 games. Philadelphia is 1-5 ATS in its last six games while Denver is 4-1 ATS in its last five contests.
See Odds Shark’s Best NBA Betting Sites
Philadelphia News & Notes
The 76ers have hit a major early-season rut as they lost their fifth straight game on Tuesday, falling 120-85 to the Utah Jazz in what was the worst offensive performance of the season for Philadelphia.
Shake Milton led the team in scoring with 18 points while Tyrese Maxey (16 points) and Tobias Harris (12 points) joined him as the only players to hit double digits for the 76ers.
The losing streak coincides with Joel Embiid’s exit from the lineup. The star center leads the team in scoring at 21.4 points per game but has been sidelined since testing positive for COVID-19 on November 8. Danny Green (hamstring) joins Embiid on the sideline for Thursday’s contest.
Denver News & Notes
After a 4-4 start to the season, the Nuggets have found their rhythm. They rattled off five straight wins in early November before finally falling in their last outing – a 111-101 loss to the Dallas Mavericks.
Although Nikola Jokic was dominant with a season-high 35 points plus 16 rebounds, Denver couldn’t contain the Mavericks’ attack as Kristaps Porzingis (29 points) and Luka Doncic (23 points) combined to give Dallas the win.
The Nuggets will be looking to get back into the win column on Thursday, though they’ll likely be without their second-leading scorer, Will Barton (back), for the third consecutive game.
How Philadelphia Will Cover
The 76ers are going to have to tighten up defensively if they’re going to win a game (or just cover a spread) any time soon. Their defense ranks 14th in the NBA at 106.7 points against per game but it’s been their Achilles heel of late as they’ve given up an average of 117.8 points over the last four contests.
How Denver Will Cover
The Nuggets are in good shape for this matchup, coming in as one of the hottest teams in the NBA and going up against one of the coldest. Given what we’ve seen from Philly’s defense in recent outings, Jokic should have free rein to more or less do whatever he wants with the ball – don’t be surprised if he sets a season high in scoring in back-to-back contests.
Computer Pick: Nuggets -8
For more NBA predictions, visit our NBA Computer Picks page.
Want more Expert Betting Picks?
Check out the best sports handicapping services on the market today!
Buy Sports Picks Now- Philadelphia is 10-2 ATS in its last 12 games at Denver.
- The UNDER is 4-1 in the last 5 meetings.
- The UNDER is 6-3 in Philadelphia’s last 9 road games.
