We all woke up Thursday morning to see Nikola Jokic’s name trending on Twitter, with fingers being pointed at the super-talented Denver Nuggets big man for seemingly running out of gas in a 120-116 overtime loss to the Los Angeles Lakers.
That’s not right and it’s not what to take away from the Lakers’ biggest statement win of the season.
Focus on how LeBron James was everywhere in a triple-double performance. Look at Anthony Davis closing out with two key three-pointers and the way the big man was a force on both ends of the floor. The bench — the Lakers’ clear weakness — got stellar games from Dwight Howard and Alex Caruso.
Yes, there was this late Jokic possession that should have resulted in him taking a three. Not great:
But what team has an answer when James is heading to the basket and kicking out to Davis, who can hit from distance like he did twice in overtime with assists from Bron?
Bron (32 PTS, 14 AST & 12 REB) and AD (33 PTS & 10 REB) put on a show in Denver ⭐️ pic.twitter.com/74HVNZ2XTC
The answer to that question might come in the playoffs. But that’s more about what the Lakers have than what Jokic and the Nuggets don’t. What Denver does have is Jamal Murray back and healthy, averaging 29 ppg in February and Jokic doing his usual dishing-and-scoring after keeping the Nuggets in the running for the West’s No. 1 seed when Murray was out:
Jamal Murray got hurt on January 15th, leaving the Nuggets down 3 starters for the next 2.5 weeks. Since then, Jokic has played more minutes than anyone else in the NBA. https://t.co/3RkfEZCdFt
Jokic has been the best big-shot maker in the NBA over the last two seasons. He has FIVE this season, also the most in the NBA. Rest of the list is interesting but feels 🤔 as well… pic.twitter.com/Rp3hZyDYcK
Previewing Wednesday’s Los Angeles Lakers at Denver Nuggets sports betting odds and lines, with NBA matchup analysis, picks and best bets.
The Los Angeles Lakers (40-12) will take on the Denver Nuggets (38-16) at Pepsi Center Wednesday night at 10 p.m. ET. We analyze the Lakers-Nuggets odds and lines, with NBA betting advice and tips around the matchup.
Place a legal sports bet on this NBA action or other games at BetMGM.
Lakers at Nuggets: Key injuries
Lakers
C DeMarcus Cousins (knee) out
PF Anthony Davis (finger) probable
Nuggets
SG Will Barton (knee) out
C Bol Bol (foot) out
PG P.J. Dozier (hip) probable
SF Michael Porter Jr. (ankle) out
PF Mason Plumlee (foot) out
Lakers at Nuggets: Odds, lines, picks and betting tips
NBA odds courtesy of BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports for a full set of today’s betting odds. Odds last updated at 12:30 p.m. ET.
The Lakers are seeking their first three-game winning streak since the middle of January, while the Nuggets have won four in a row. Denver has won each of its last four home games, too, playing some excellent basketball as of late.
The Lakers are the healthier team right now and the duo of LeBron James and Anthony Davis will be too much for Nikola Jokic and the Nuggets. Take the LAKERS (-143) to win outright on the road.
New to sports betting? A $10 wager on the Lakers returns a profit of $7.
The Lakers come in as 2.5-point road favorites, making this the 11th straight game in which they’ve been favored. They’re only 4-6 ATS in that span, while the Nuggets have covered the spread in eight of their last 10 games.
Additionally, the Lakers are only 6-12 in their last 18 games against the Nuggets and 1-5 ATS in their last six road games in Denver. Take the NUGGETS +2.5 (-115) to cover the spread.
The Over/Under is only 219.5, largely because both defenses rank in the top 10 of the NBA. The Lakers are the best shooting team in the league at 48.77% and should be able to find high-percentage shots against the Nuggets.
The total has gone Over in five of the Nuggets’ last six games and in 11 of the Lakers’ last 15 games. Take the OVER 219.5 (-115) Wednesday.
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The Los Angeles Lakers All-Star forward believes that playing with LeBron helped him learn things about the flow of the season.
It’s easy to forget that Anthony Davis has never been on a team like the Los Angeles Lakers team he is currently on since he was a freshman at Kentucky. The Lakers, even though they have struggled a little bit over the past couple of weeks, likely due to a mix of mental, physical and emotional fatigue, still have a three-game lead for the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference.
But now that Davis is back on a team that is winning in a way that inspires hopes of a championship and heading back to his hometown of Chicago for All-Star weekend, it’s a fair time to look back at how much has changed since the awkward All-Star weekend Davis endured last year.
Davis spoke with ESPN’s Dave McMenamin and shared that one of the biggest things he’s learned from LeBron James is how to shift his perspective, especially when it comes to losing regular season games, which has only happened 12 times so far this season. Davis said that he “used to get so mad” when he lost games but LeBron has reassured him that losses before the postseason are not catastrophes, at least not at the level they are at.
The Los Angeles Lakers have one more game before their leaders head to Chicago for the 2020 NBA All-Star Weekend.
The Los Angeles Lakers have one final game before their leaders LeBron James and Anthony Davis, as well as their entire coaching staff, head to Chicago to represent the Lakers at the 2020 NBA All-Star Game. But tonight’s game will likely not come easy, especially given the way the Lakers have been playing lately as they head into the Mile High City to face off against the No. 2 Denver Nuggets and their star center Nikola Jokic.
Jokic has led the Nuggets to the second-best record in the West, even though he had a rough start to the season, he’s at least been there for the team on a nightly basis when basically the rest of the team has missed time with injuries. It has been Jokic that has steadied them on both ends and also was the catalyst for them in a stunning win at Utah last week when the Nuggets had only six available players.
They aren’t so thin anymore after an active trade deadline where they acquired several players from the Minnesota Timberwolves, including Keita Bates-Diop and Shabazz Napier. Bates-Diop played sparingly in the Nuggets win on Monday over San Antonio and given his size, he might get a shot at guarding LeBron James.
Tonight’s Nuggets-Lakers game will also be televised nationally on ESPN and tip-off will be at 7:30 p.m. PST.
After the 2020 NBA Trade Deadline, the focus of basketball transaction rumors often shifts to the potential buyout market for contenders.
After the 2020 NBA trade deadline, the focus of basketball transaction rumors often shifts to the potential buyout market for contenders.
As noted by our own Frank Urbina, the buyout market “might actually be more interesting” than previously expected. While we recently collected a list of potential candidates for a buyout, ESPN’s Tim MacMahon reported that the last time a buyout addition played at least 100 playoff minutes for a team that won the title was in 2011. That would be Peja Stojakovic.
Aside from him, we broke down the biggest midseason free agency addition (via amnesty clause, buyout or otherwise) of the year each season since 2009-10.
2010: LARRY HUGHES, CHARLOTTE
(Photo by Kent Smith/NBAE via Getty Images)
Near the end of his career, former NBA guard Larry Hughes was included in a deal that sent Tracy McGrady to the New York Knicks. After the move, he was waived by the Sacramento Kings and was subsequently picked up by the Charlotte Bobcats. He played 14 games with the franchise but made just two appearances in the starting lineup. Hughes scored just 8.1 points per game during the regular season. He played all four games for the team in the postseason, too, averaging 14.5 minutes per game. But he did not make much of an impact, scoring just 6.0 points per game.
2011: MIKE BIBBY, MIAMI
(Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images)
During his second-to-last season in the NBA, former NCAA champion Mike Bibby played for three different teams. He started the year with the Atlanta Hawks and was then moved to the Washington Wizards. After playing just two games, he and the organization agreed to a contract buyout and joined the Miami Heat. Bibby played 26.5 minutes per game for Miami, including 12 appearances in the starting lineup. The point guard connected on his personal-best 2.5 three-pointers per 36 minutes while shooting 45.5 percent from beyond the arc. He also started all 20 games during the playoffs for the Heat. However, Bibby averaged just 3.7 points and 1.2 assists per game during these contests.
2012: BORIS DIAW, SAN ANTONIO
(Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
Among all of the midseason free agency additions during the 2010s, former first-round selection Boris Diaw perhaps made the largest impact during his time with the team that signed him. The forward was waived by the Charlotte Bobcats in March 2012. However, within two days, he was picked up by the San Antonio Spurs. He started in seven of 20 games for the Spurs in the regular season and then all 14 appearances for the team in the playoffs. During the postseason, he was 9-for-18 (50.0 percent) from the three-point line. Diaw, who was originally claimed in 2012, remained with San Antonio until 2016 (winning a title in 2013) and became one of the more consistent figures in their rotation.
2013: CHRIS ANDERSEN, MIAMI
(Photo by Jordan Johnson/NBAE via Getty Images)
More famously known by his nickname Birdman, former NBA big man Chris Andersen was waived and amnestied by the Denver Nuggets in 2012 so that the franchise could avoid the dreaded luxury tax bill. After some push by head coach Erik Spoelstra, the Miami Heat signed the 6-foot-10 veteran. He played on two ten-day contracts before eventually getting a deal for the remainder of the season in 2012-13. He played in just over half of the games (42) for the team in that campaign, averaging 14.9 minutes off the bench. He helped Miami go on a 27-game win streak shortly after he was signed. But most notable was his performance in the postseason in which he made all 15 of his first field goal attempts in Game 1 through Game 5 against the Indiana Pacers. Overall, he shot a postseason-best 80.4 percent from the field en route to the Heat winning the title in 2013.
2014: DREW GOODEN, WASHINGTON
(Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)
Former NBA forward Drew Gooden signed a five-year, $32 million deal with the Milwaukee Bucks in 2010. However, he was waived by the team using an amnesty clause back in July 2013. Gooden was picked up by the Washington Wizards in February 2014. After two ten-day contracts, he was signed for the remainder of the season by the Wizards. Gooden played 18.0 minutes off the bench for Washington, scoring 8.3 points and grabbing 5.2 rebounds per game. After playing 10 contests in the postseason for the team, he signed a new deal with the Wizards and briefly became the starting power forward in 2014-15.
2015: AMARE STOUDEMIRE, DALLAS
(Photo by Ron Hoskins/NBAE via Getty Images)
Six-time NBA All-Star Amare Stoudemire was once a fixture for the New York Knicks. However, his role began to diminish during his final few years with the team. During his final 180 games with the Knicks, the big man was in the starting lineup just 50 times. He was waived by New York and was picked up by the Dallas Mavericks, averaging 10.8 points per game in 23 appearances during the regular season with his new team. The big then scored 7.8 points per game for Dallas during the playoffs.
2016: JOE JOHNSON, MIAMI
(Photo by Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images)
Seven-time NBA All-Star wing Joe Johnson was a major pickup by the Brooklyn Nets in 2012. But the franchise began to change its identity during the offseason leading into the 2015-16 campaign, letting longtime point guard Deron Williams test the open market and eventually sign with the Dallas Mavericks. Johnson, who had previously scored a field goal in a record 937 straight games, did not score against the Memphis Grizzlies on February 10, 2016. He played just three more games with the Nets before his contract was bought out on February 25. Johnson was fantastic on the Heat, scoring 13.4 points per game during the regular season and 12.1 points per game in the postseason.
2017: DERON WILLIAMS, CLEVELAND
(Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
Three-time NBA All-Star guard Deron Williams signed with the Dallas Mavericks in 2015. He re-signed with Dallas the following season, though Williams missed time with a toe injury. Williams was waived by the team in February 2017 and was then picked up by the Cleveland Cavaliers. Williams averaged 20.3 minutes per game in 24 appearances during the regular season for Cleveland. His best performance was a near-triple double in April, putting up 35 points with 7 rebounds and 9 assists. This ended up being his final year in the NBA, retiring after losing in the Finals to the Golden State Warriors.
2018: MARCO BELINELLI, PHILADELPHIA
(Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images)
Former first-rounder Marco Belinelli signed with the Sacramento Kings in 2015 after winning the NBA championship and three-point contest with the San Antonio Spurs in 2014. He was traded to the Charlotte Hornets in 2016 and then to the Atlanta Hawks in 2017. The wing was waived by Atlanta in February 2018 and then claimed by the Philadelphia 76ers. Belinelli then put up a career-high 13.6 points and 2.0 three-pointers per game. He then scored 25 points against the Miami Heat in the postseason. He also hit a game-tying buzzer-beater to send a game against the Boston Celtics to overtime.
2019 WESLEY MATTHEWS, INDIANA
(Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
After an impressive tenure with the Portland Trail Blazers from 2010 until 2015, Wesley Matthews signed a four-year deal with the Dallas Mavericks. He was traded to the New York Knicks, where he played just two games for the team before he was waived in February 2019. Matthews was picked up by the Indiana Pacers, then connecting on six three-pointers against the New Orleans Pelicans later in the month. He played 31.5 minutes per game in his 23 appearances during the regular season, starting in each contest. Matthews also started all four games he played in the postseason for Indiana.
HoopsHype’s Alberto de Roa contributed research to this report
Jordan McRae scores eight points in debut for Nuggets.
DENVER — Former University of Tennessee basketball player Jordan McRae made his debut for the Denver Nuggets Tuesday night.
He scored eight points, grabbed five rebounds and dished out three assists in Denver’s 127-120 victory over the San Antonio Spurs at Pepsi Center.
McRae, now an NBA veteran, was enjoying a solid season with the Washington Wizards, despite missing some games due to injury earlier this season.
He played his first game in the Mile-High City Tuesday night after being a trade-deadline acquisition by the Nuggets last week.
The Nuggets acquired McRae to pick up another shooting presence in their run to the playoffs. He is now in the thick of a playoff race as Denver (38-16) is the second-place team in the Western Conference behind the Los Angeles Lakers, who are 40-12 this season.
Previewing Monday’s San Antonio Spurs at Denver Nuggets sports betting odds and lines, with NBA betting picks, tips and best bets.
The San Antonio Spurs (22-30) visit Pepsi Center to take on the Denver Nuggets (37-16) Monday. Tip-off is scheduled for 9 p.m. E.T. We analyze the Spurs-Nuggets sports betting odds and lines, with NBA betting advice and tips around the matchup.
Spurs at Nuggets: Key injuries
Nuggets:
SG Will Barton (knee) out
C Mason Plumlee (foot) out
SF Michael Porter Jr. (ankle) out
C Bol Bol (foot) out
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Spurs at Nuggets: Odds, lines, picks, and betting tips
NBA odds courtesy of BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports for a full list. Odds last updated at 10:45 a.m. ET.
The Nuggets (-295) are heavy favorites at home over the Spurs (+230). Denver has won seven of its last nine games, while the Spurs have lost five-straight road games. San Antonio has struggled mightily on the road this season, going 8-18. Take Denver to win at home on Monday.
The Nuggets would be the play, but there’s far too much chalk on this line with a $10 bet returning a profit of just $3.40 with a victory. PASS and look to the spread.
The NUGGETS (-7.5, +100) have been excellent against the spread as of late, covering in five of their last six home games. San Antonio has been decent against the spread on the road this season, going 13-12-1 against the spread. Give the edge to Denver and back the Nuggets to win by at least 8 points at even money.
The projected total for this Western Conference matchup is set at 217.5 points, which feels a bit low. Both teams are averaging at least 110 points per game this season, and this game should be no different as the Spurs allow 114.4 PPG on defense. Expect this to be a relatively high-scoring game, with the OVER 217.5 (-110) hitting in Denver.
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Previewing Saturday’s Denver Nuggets at Phoenix Suns sports betting odds, with NBA matchup analysis and picks.
The Denver Nuggets (36-16) are going to the Valley of the Sun to play the Phoenix Suns (21-31) at the Talking Stick Resort Arena Saturday night at 9:00 p.m. ET. We analyze Nuggets-Suns odds and lines, with NBA betting advice and tips around the matchup.
Nuggets at Suns: Key injuries
Nuggets
PF Jerami Grant (ankle) probable
SG Will Barton (knee) out
PF Paul Millsap (knee) probable
SF Michael Porter Jr. (ankle) out
C Bol Bol (foot) out
PF Mason Plumlee (foot) out
Suns
SF Dario Saric (ankle) questionable
SG Tyler Johnson (knee) questionable
PF Frank Kaminsky (knee) out
C Aaron Baynes (hip) out
Place a legal sports bet on this NBA action or other games at BetMGM.
Nuggets at Suns: Odds, lines, picks and betting tips
NBA odds courtesy of BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports for a full set of today’s betting odds. Odds last updated at 1:40 p.m. ET.
Phoenix snapped a four-game losing streak by destroying the Houston Rockets last night, 127-91, while the Nuggets have been playing well recently winning four of their last five games.
The absence of Barton could be major for the Nuggets. Barton is third on the team in points per game and is second in Win Shares. Since the Suns +135 actually have a better winning percentage on the road (11-14) compared to home (10-17), and the Nuggets -162 is too chalky of a number, PASS on moneyline wager in Nuggets-Suns.
Phoenix is 3-5 against the spread record on back-to-backs, but both sides play comparably in their given rest situations: The Suns are 7-6 ATS with a rest disadvantage and the Nuggets are 7-6-3 ATS. Also, the spread situation favors the Suns—Phoenix has a 4-3 ATS record when getting 3-4.5 points and Denver is 1-5-1 ATS when laying those range of points. But, the Suns have covered their last three home games versus Denver.
When you factor in the Suns’ 5-4 ATS record as a home ‘dog and the Nuggets’ 6-8-1 ATS record as a road favorite then I like SUNS +3.5 (-110) in this game.
The officiating crew assigned to Nuggets-Suns leans me to BETTING OVER 218.5 (-106). Their combined Over/Under record on the season is 45-32 with an average total score of 223.9. Furthermore, Phoenix has a 6-2 O/U record on the second game of back-to-backs, the Over is 5-1 in the last six meetings in Phoenix and the Over is 6-0 in Nuggets last six games as a road favorite.
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On this episode of The HoopsHype Podcast, Alex Kennedy is joined by Ben Golliver of the Washington Post. They break down every deal from the 2020 NBA trade deadline, the biggest winners and losers, possible buyout candidates and more. Time-stamps are below!
1:35: Alex and Ben discuss their biggest winners of the deadline.
5:12: Alex and Ben discuss their biggest losers of the deadline.
7:55: Did the Golden State Warriors make the right move trading D’Angelo Russell to the Minnesota Timberwolves for Andrew Wiggins and a top-three protected 2021 first-round pick? Alex and Ben debate whether Golden State should’ve waited to see if a better offer emerged over the offseason, what to expect from Minnesota’s new-look team and more.
13:50: Breaking down the three-team deal that sends Marcus Morris to the Los Angeles Clippers. How much better does Morris make them? And what does this deal mean for the New York Knicks and Washington Wizards?
16:05: Alex and Ben discuss Darren Collison’s options if he decides to make an NBA comeback. If you were Collison, would you sign with the Los Angeles Lakers, Los Angeles Clippers or another team (such as the Denver Nuggets or Philadelphia 76ers, who have shown interest in him)?
20:15: The Cleveland Cavaliers added Andre Drummond and they didn’t have to give up very much to the Detroit Pistons. Alex and Ben discuss the trade, why they like the move for Cleveland and what Detroit was thinking. They also talk about what this trade says about the evolution of the NBA.
25:10: Alex and Ben discuss the four-team, 12-player trade between the Atlanta Hawks, Houston Rockets, Minnesota Timberwolves and Denver Nuggets. They break down Atlanta’s acquisition of Clint Capela, Houston’s addition of Robert Covington and the Rockets’ decision to go super small.
32:45: The Miami Heat acquired Andre Iguodala in a three-team deal with the Memphis Grizzlies and Minnesota Timberwolves, parting ways with Justise Winslow, Dion Waiters and James Johnson. The Heat also added Jae Crowder and Solomon Hill from the deal. Alex and Ben discuss Iguodala’s fit in Miami and the two-year, $30 million extension he signed with the Heat, as well as Memphis’ return for the 36-year-old.
37:25: Alex and Ben rattle off the remainder of minor deals that went down before the deadline and discuss their significance.
39:25: After the trade deadline, focus shifts to the buyout market. Alex and Ben talk about a number of veterans who could potentially be bought out and what kind of impact they could make on a contending team.
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After the trade deadline has come and gone, we took a look at what the projected order of the 2020 NBA Draft will look like this summer.
After the trade deadline has come and gone, we took a look at what the projected order of the 2020 NBA Draft will look like this summer.
Of course, the draft lottery results will shake up where each team will actually select within the first fourteen picks. Plus, the standings are just based on what has happened so far this season. There are teams that can improve as the year progresses with others potentially falling off.
But as of right now, with all of the traded picks, these are the picks that all NBA teams currently have to work with this summer.
Draft order determined by Tankathon and trades pulled from recap by USA TODAY‘s Jeff Zilgitt. Takeaways for teams that made moves are also included below.
FIRST ROUND
1. GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS (Protected: 1-20) 2. CLEVELAND CAVALIERS (Protected: 1-10) 3. ATLANTA HAWKS
4. NEW YORK KNICKS
5. MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES
6. CHARLOTTE HORNETS
7. WASHINGTON WIZARDS
8. DETROIT PISTONS
9. CHICAGO BULLS
10. SACRAMENTO KINGS
11. PHOENIX SUNS
12. NEW ORLEANS PELICANS
13. SAN ANTONIO SPURS
14. PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS
15. ORLANDO MAGIC
16. MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES (via Brooklyn)
17. BOSTON CELTICS (via Memphis)
18. MILWAUKEE BUCKS (via Indiana)
19. BROOKLYN NETS (via Philadelphia)
20. DALLAS MAVERICKS
21. PHILADELPHIA 76ERS (via Oklahoma City)
22. UTAH JAZZ (Protected: 1-7, 15-30)
23. DENVER NUGGETS (via Houston)
24. MIAMI HEAT
25. OKLAHOMA CITY (via Denver)
26. BOSTON CELTICS
27. NEW YORK KNICKS (via L.A. Clippers)
28. TORONTO RAPTORS
29. LOS ANGELES LAKERS
30. BOSTON CELTICS (via Milwaukee)
SECOND ROUND
31. DALLAS MAVERICKS (via Golden State)
32. CHARLOTTE HORNETS (via Cleveland)
33. PHILADELPHIA 76ERS (via Atlanta)
34. PHILADELPHIA 76ERS (via New York)
35. MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES
36. NEW YORK KNICKS (via Charlotte)
37. NEW ORLEANS PELICANS (via Washington)
38. SACRAMENTO KINGS (via Detroit)
39. WASHINGTON WIZARDS (via Chicago)
40. SACRAMENTO KINGS
41. NEW ORLEANS PELICANS
42. MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES (via Phoenix)
43. ORLANDO MAGIC
44. SAN ANTONIO SPURS
45. PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS (Protected: 31-55)
46. BOSTON CELTICS (via Brooklyn)
47. CHICAGO BULLS (via Memphis)
48. OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER
49. GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS (via Dallas)
50. PHILADELPHIA 76ERS
51. INDIANA PACERS (Protected: 45-60)
52. ATLANTA HAWKS (via Houston)
53. GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS (via Utah)
54. SACRAMENTO KINGS (via Miami)
55. BROOKLYN NETS (via Denver)
56. CHARLOTTE HORNETS (via Boston)
57. L.A. CLIPPERS
58. TORONTO RAPTORS
59. ORLANDO MAGIC (via Los Angeles Lakers)
60. NEW ORLEANS PELICANS (via Milwaukee)
