The Denver Nuggets and the San Antonio Spurs meet for the third and last time in the regular season. The series is currently tied at 1-1. Who takes the lead?
Catch this game live on Saturday, April 10, at 9 AM, Manila time
HOME TEAM: Denver Nuggets (33-18, 17-9 at home)
Projected Starting Five:
- PG: Facundo Campazz
- SF: Will Barton
- SF: Michael Porter Jr.
- PF: Aaron Gordon
- C: Nikola Jokic
Denver continues to spew fire, as the Nuggets recorded their seventh straight win on Thursday, downing the Spurs at home, 106-96. The Nuggets didn’t even need star point guard Jamal Murray to be out on the floor to beat San Antonio.
Murray has not played in the Nuggets’ last two games and he’s in trouble of missing a third one due to a sore right knee. If Murray can’t go, Facundo Campazzo and Monte Morris will share the majority of the point guard minutes, while Nikola Jokic will have the ball more in his hands. That’s not a bad thing at all for Denver, as Jokic has been obliterating the Spurs this season.
In the two games against San Antonio this season, Jokic has totaled 60 points, 19 rebounds, and 15 assists, while shooting 59.5 FG% and 38.5 3FG%. There’s no one on the Spurs’ frontcourt who could slow down Jokic, especially now that San Antonio no longer has LaMarcus Aldridge.
The Nuggets are 4-1 against the spread in their last five games at home.
ROAD TEAM: San Antonio Spurs (24-25, 12-8 on the road)
Projected Starting Five:
- PG: Dejounte Murray
- SG: Derrick White
- SF: Keldon Johnson
- SF: DeMar DeRozan
- C: Jakob Poeltl
The Spurs are currently on the outside looking in of the top 8 in the Western Conference standings. They will look to improve their chances of climbing out of the play-in zone, as they also attempt to snap a four-game losing skid. The Spurs have gone just 1-4 straight up since the start of April and 1-4 against the spread as well.
Despite their loss on Thursday to Denver, the Spurs did not look entirely overpowered. They even a 10-point lead in the third quarter after a scorching 18-4 run. If the Spurs could do a better job on the glass and prevent Denver’s efficient offense from getting extra possessions, San Antonio should be in a good position to at least cover the spread in this game.
Dejounte Murray will be a man to watch for San Antonio, as he’s averaged 22.0 points, 6.0 rebounds, 4.5 assists, and 1.5 steals in two meetings with the Nuggets this season. He had 26 points on 10-19 shooting in the Spurs’ 119-109 home win against Denver back in January.
The over is 3-1 in San Antonio’s last four games.
PREDICTIONS:
Spread:
The public will find it hard to trust the Spurs after the way Denver beat them on Thursday. San Antonio could be due for a cover, though. I’m taking the Spurs (+7) to cover in a game that has trap written all over it.
Over/Under:
The Nuggets will continue dictating the pace of this game, and from what we know about Denver this season, the team really likes it slow. Take the under (217.5).
