The Toronto Raptors (26-36) visit the Denver Nuggets (41-21) Thursday for a 9 p.m. ET tip-off at Ball Arena. Below, we analyze the Raptors-Nuggets odds and lines, with NBA picks and predictions.
This is the first game of a four-game Western Conference road trip for the 12th-seeded Raptors. They’re coming off a 116-103 loss to the Brooklyn Nets Tuesday after winning five of their previous six games.
The Nuggets, fourth in the West, beat the New Orleans Pelicans 114-112 Wednesday for their third straight win. They’re 7-1 since PG Jamal Murray suffered a season-ending injury April 12.
Toronto crushed Denver 135-111 March 24. That was before the NBA trade deadline and the Nuggets’ acquisition of PF Aaron Gordon.
Raptors at Nuggets: Odds, spread and lines
Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated at 9:02 a.m. ET.
- Money line: Raptors +150 (bet $100 to win $150) | Nuggets -185 (bet $185 to win $100)
- Against the spread/ATS: Raptors +4.5 (-110) | Nuggets -4.5 (-110)
- Over/Under: 224.5 (O: -110 | U: -110)
Raptors at Nuggets: Key injuries
Raptors
- C Chris Boucher (knee) out
- SG Gary Trent Jr. (leg) out
Nuggets
- SF Michael Porter Jr. (ankle) questionable
- SF Will Barton (hamstring) out
- PG Monte Morris (hamstring) out
- PG Jamal Murray (knee) out
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Raptors at Nuggets: Odds, lines, predictions and picks
Prediction
Nuggets 125, Raptors 112
Money line (ML)
The NUGGETS (-185) are at the upper end of my money line limit but it’s a fine price to pay for a win over the Raptors.
Denver is playing far better than many expected in the immediate aftermath of Murray’s departure from the lineup.
Monday’s 120-96 win over the playoff-hungry Memphis Grizzlies was one of their most impressive performances.
Gordon is averaging a modest 11.1 points per game and 4.8 rebounds per game while averaging 26.4 minutes per contest since joining the Nuggets, but his player efficiency rating is up to 15.5 from 15.0 with the Orlando Magic.
He and C Nikola Jokic pose a big frontcourt mismatch for Toronto, who remains without one of its most important bigs in Boucher.
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Against the spread (ATS)
Raptors PF Pascal Siakam is coming off a 2-for-16 shooting performance against the Nets in which he had to hit all 6 free-throw attempts for 10 points.
It was just his first sub-20 point game in his last six outings but this is a tough matchup for him to head into cold.
Denver is just 1-5 ATS in its last six games, but one of those non-covers was a 14-point favorite in a 13-point drubbing of the Houston Rockets.
The Nuggets are 5-5 ATS for the season when laying 3-4.5 points, and they’re 9-5 ATS when laying 5-7 points.
Back the bigger NUGGETS -4.5 (-110) to win by at least 5 points.
Over/Under (O/U)
Bet the OVER 224.5 (-110) while expecting the Nuggets to lay it to the inferior Raptors defense.
Denver is 7-4 against the O/U and plays an average of 7.6 points per game above the line when playing on no rest.
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