The visiting Denver Nuggets are terrible on the road, but the Atlanta Hawks are also horrid at home. Let’s see who comes out on top.
Catch the game tomorrow at 8:30 AM, Manila time.
AWAY: Denver Nuggets (14-9, 5-8 AWAY)
Projected starting five:
- Jamal Murray
- Kentavious Caldwell-Pope
- Michael Porter Jr.
- Aaron Gordon
- Nikola Jokic
The defending champs are teetering. They will enter the game on a three-game skid, averaging 108.6 points per game on a mediocre 44.6% shooting and a -7.7 net rating in that span.
Reigning finals MVP Nikola Jokic’s (28.4 PPG, 13 RPG, 9.6 APG) stat-stuffing ways are intact, but his shots have been highly inefficient as he has only shot a combined 18-of-58 (31%) from the field in his last two outings. It feels like he’s due for a good game, but we’ll see since he’s also in an interesting matchup opposite a defensive big man.
Jamal Murray (17.4 PPG) and Michael Porter Jr. (17.6 PPG) are in good rhythm for the most part and should be able to continue creating offense. Blue-collar PF Aaron Gordon, meanwhile, is only at 5.5 PPG on a combined 5-of-14 shooting since returning from his heel injury.
Back-up point guard Reggie Jackson is coming off an ugly game (6 pts, 2/8 FGs), but consider his recent six-game stretch of having 20.5 points and 6.0 assists on a 59.8% clip.
HOME: Atlanta Hawks (9-12, 3-6 HOME)
Projected starting five:
- Trae Young
- Bojan Bogdanovic
- Saddiq Bey
- DeAndre Hunter
- Clint Capela
The Hawks should feel confident that the visiting Nuggets have been terrible on the road, but they really can’t because they have a horrid home record. They have also lost three-straight game, and eight of their last 11. Offense has been on-point in that stretch, with 123.5 PPG, except the defense isn’t and is giving up 127.2 on over 50% shooting.
Leading scorer and All-Star Trae Young missed the team’s previous games due to an illness. He is likely back tomorrow, bringing in 27.2 points and 10.6 assists, and 1.5 steals per game. Two-way guard Dejounte Murray (20.0 PPG, 5.5 APG, 1.7 APG) is also on deck and will be mostly tasked to stop Jamal, the other team’s Murray, in what could be an interesting battle.
Other starters will be the X-Factor – Clint Capela will be mainly tasked to contain Jokic, while Bojan Bogdanovic, Saddiq Bey, and DeAndre Hunter are there to provide valuable scoring and shooting support.
PREDICTION:
Handicap: The Nuggets (-2.5) win and cover the spread.
Over/Under: The total goes over 240.5
Derek Walters