Two of the best teams from each conference will square off Monday night as the Philadelphia 76ers (49-25, 3rd in the East) take on the Denver Nuggets (50-24, 1st in the West). The Nuggets will host this one at the Ball Arena, with tipoff scheduled for 9:30 pm ET.
The Nuggets are the favorite in this one playing at home. They are -215 to win, while the 76ers’ moneyline sits at +180. The spread features Philadelphia as 5-point underdogs (-108).
Philadelphia Looks To Break Small Losing Streak
Having lost back-to-back games, the Philadelphia 76ers are looking to get back into the win column on the road, where they are 23-14 this season. Having won seven of their last 10 games, the 76ers should be confident coming into this one.
Part of their confidence comes from the fact they have the current favorite to win the NBA MVP on their team. At -145 to win the prestigious award, Joel Embiid is having a phenomenal season. In 61 games, he is averaging 33.3 points, 10.2 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.1 steals, and 1.7 blocks.
James Harden (21.4 points, 10.8 assists, 6.3 rebounds), Tyrese Maxes (20.4 points, 2.9 rebounds, 3.5 assists), and Tobias Harris (15 points, 5.8 rebounds) are also having great years. It is worth noting that Harden is questionable for this one with an Achilles injury.
On the offensive side, the 76ers rank 14th, averaging 115.2 points per game. They are elite on the defensive end as they rank third overall, allowing opponents an average of 110.5 points per game.
Nuggets Try To Stay Dominant At Home
To say that Denver likes playing at home would be a bit of an understatement. While they are 19-18 on the road, they are a whopping 31-6 playing at Ball Arena. They will look to add another win to that record Monday night.
The Nuggets come into this one having won three in a row, although they are just 5-5 over their last 10. Still, with a 3.5-game lead in the West, the Nuggets are in a great position entering the playoffs.
While the 76ers have the favorite, the Nuggets have the player with the second-best odds of winning the MVP in Nikola Jokic (+195). On the year, he is averaging 24.9 points, 11.8 rebounds, 9.9 assists, and 1.3 steals per game.
Other contributors for the Nuggets include Jamaal Murray (20.2 points, 4 rebounds, 6.2 assists), Michael Porter Jr (17.3 points, 5.4 rebounds), and Aaron Gordon (16.4 points, 6.5 rebounds).
The Nuggets rank seventh in scoring (116.8 points per game) and 11th in scoring defense (112.7 points allowed per game).
Take Philadelphia And The Points
Looking at the trends, Philadelphia is 9-3 in their last 12 and 7-2 in their last nine road games. They are 11-2 against the spread in their last 13 playing on the road at Denver.
For the Nuggets, they are 4-1 both straight up and against the spread in their last five. They are 17-3 in their last 20 at home.
This one should be a great matchup of two of the best teams in the NBA. Whether James Harden is available could have big ramifications on this one, so make sure to pay attention to the injury report.
Still, for as well as Denver plays at home, don’t be surprised if the 76ers keep this one close. Take Philadelphia and the +5 points (-108) on the spread.
