The Denver Nuggets (28-24) host the slumping Brooklyn Nets (29-23) Sunday at Ball Arena for a 3:30 p.m. ET tip-off. Below, we look at the Nets vs. Nuggets odds and lines, and make our expert NBA picks, predictions and bets.
Brooklyn has lost seven consecutive games with the most recent being a 125-102 whooping at the hands of the Utah Jazz Saturday.
The Nets have been awful since F Kevin Durant was sidelined with an injury Jan. 17. Brooklyn is 2-8 straight up (SU) and 3-6-1 against the spread (ATS) with the 25th-ranked net rating (minus-6.0) since losing their star forward.
Denver has lost three straight games at the Minnesota Timberwolves Tuesday, at the Jazz Wednesday and at home versus the New Orleans Pelicans Friday. The Nuggets are 6-4 SU but just 3-6-1 ATS in their last 10 games.
The Nuggets beat the Nets 124-118 in Brooklyn in their first meeting this season, Jan. 26, pushing as 6-point road favorites. However, the Nets were missing KD, G Kyrie Irving and G James Harden.
Nets at Nuggets odds, spread and lines
Odds provided by Tipico Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 9:11 a.m. ET.
- Money line: Nets +200 (bet $100 to win $200) | Nuggets -250 (bet $250 to win $100)
- Against the spread: Nets +5.5 (-105) | Nuggets -5.5 (-120)
- Over/Under (O/U): 229.5 (O: -108 | U: -112)
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Nets at Nuggets key injuries
Nets
- C LaMarcus Aldridge (ankle) out
- C Nic Claxton (hamstring) questionable
- SF Kevin Durant (knee) out
- SG James Harden (hand) questionable
Nuggets
- SF Aaron Gordon (hamstring) probable
- SG Austin Rivers (hip) probable
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Nets at Nuggets odds, lines, picks and predictions
Prediction
Nuggets 119, Nets 108
Money line
PASS.
The Nets (+200) could still have two All-NBA-caliber dudes on the floor and the Nuggets (-250) just lost to a New Orleans team that’s 12 games below .500. Plus I wouldn’t bet an NBA regular-season favorite at greater than -170.
Against the spread
BET the NUGGETS -5.5 (-110) for 1 unit.
This is more a fade of a sputtering Nets squad rather than a bet on the Nuggets. The Nets have the worst defensive rating in the NBA and the fifth-worst defensive effective field goal shooting (eFG%) during their seven-game losing skid.
It’s all bad in Brooklyn; there are rumors circulating that the Nets could be moving Harden at the trade deadline, KD is battling another injury and Kyrie’s vaccination status is still hanging over the team. It’s also unclear if Harden will even suit up Sunday.
More importantly, Denver big Nikola Jokic is by far the best player on the floor and Brooklyn doesn’t have anyone that can check him. Jokic is leading the NBA in PER, Win Shares per 48 and box plus/minus.
Over/Under
PASS.
My hunch is that this total is too high but if Harden is active then it’s tough betting this Under.
The Under has cashed in three of Denver’s last five games and three of Brooklyn’s last four.
However, the Nets have the worst defensive rating over the past two weeks and the Nuggets are fifth in offensive rating over that span.
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