Nuggets at Pacers Preview and Betting Pick
- Denver Starting to Dominate
- Pacers Struggling to Score
- Nuggets at Pacers Preview: The Betting Pick
Don’t look now, but the Denver Nuggets are starting to climb up the standings in the Western Conference. Denver will look to continue their hot play on Thursday night when they take on the Indiana Pacers in Indianapolis.
Denver has now won three straight games, and they have improved their record to 20-15 this season. The Nuggets are currently in third place in the Northwest Division, but they could be a team to watch in the second half of the NBA season.
The Indiana Pacers picked up a stunning win over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday night to snap a four-game winning streak. Indiana comes into this game with an overall record of 16-18, which puts them just outside of the playoff race in the Eastern Conference.
The Denver Nuggets are 4.5-point favorites over the Indiana Pacers in this NBA showdown on Thursday night.
Denver Starting to Dominate
The Denver Nuggets advanced all the way to the Western Conference Finals a season ago, but they were struggling to begin the season. Denver has now picked up three straight wins, and a fourth would end the first half of the season on a strong note.
Denver is one of the best defensive teams in the NBA, allowing just 110.8 points per game. The Nuggets have actually been better on the defensive end of late, and they could put up a low number against an average Pacers team.
Center Nikola Jokic leads the way on offense for the Nuggets, averaging 27.3 points and 8.6 rebounds per game. The “Joker” is on the shortlist of NBA MVP candidates this season, and he will be a nightmare for the Pacers on Thursday night.
The Nuggets are shooting 39 percent from the three-point line this season, and this team gives their All-Star plenty of support.
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Pacers Struggling to Score
The Indiana Pacers are averaging 113.1 points per game, and the offense has been a challenge at times for this team. Indiana is able to be an explosive team when they are making shots, but they don’t have a true superstar that can take over any game.
Malcolm Brogdon and Domantas Sabonis are both scoring over 21 points per game, and they both need to play well for the Pacers to pick up a win. This is not a very deep Pacers team, and they usually can’t rely on much scoring from their bench.
The Pacers are allowing 112.5 points per game, but they have the ability to become one of the better defensive teams in the league. Indiana needs to find a way to slow the pace down in this game, and they also must contain Jokic.
There is still time left for the Pacers to become a playoff team in the East, and closing out the first half with a win would go a long way to accomplishing that goal.
Nuggets at Pacers Preview and Betting Pick: Pacers Battle, Nuggets Win
The Indiana Pacers had to expend a ton of injury to complete the comeback and beat the Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday night, and fatigue could be a factor in this game. The Pacers are a much better team on their home floor, but taking on the mighty Nuggets is not an easy task.
Denver got off to a slow start this season, but the Nuggets are starting to play up to their potential. The Nuggets come into this game with a ton of momentum, and their defense will play a big role in this game.
The Indiana Pacers are going to keep this game close, but they just don’t have a true superstar that can take over this game.
Denver will make clutch plays late, and they will find a way to cover the spread and pick up their fourth straight game.
