LA CLIPPERS vs DENVER
When: 12/25/2020 10:30 PM
Where:

TV: 10:30 PM
LINE: 3
PREDICTION: DENVER , LA CLIPPERS

Oddsmakers currently have the DENVER listed as 3 point favorites versus the LA CLIPPERS, while the game’s total is sitting at 225.

The Los Angeles Clippers may have taken the Denver Nuggets lightly in the playoffs a few months ago, which could have contributed to a stunning collapse and a second-round exit for a team many thoughts was ready to compete for a title.

It’s doubtful Los Angeles will make the same mistake again Friday night in Denver.

The Clippers and Nuggets meet in the last of a five-game Christmas Day slate, and it comes with the wounds still fresh from Denver’s improbable comeback in September.

L.A. led the series 3-1 and had a double-digit lead in the second half of Game 5. The Nuggets clawed their way back to win that game, and then rallied again in Game 6 before finishing the upset in Game 7.

Although that was only three months ago, the teams have made some significant changes.

JaMychal Green left the Clippers and signed with Denver and L.A. parted ways with coach Doc Rivers, replacing him with assistant coach Tyronn Lue. L.A. also added Serge Ibaka, Luke Kennard, and Nicolas Batum. The tweaked roster got off to a good start with a 116-109 win over the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday night.

The Clippers were led by Paul George (33 points) and Kawhi Leonard (26 points) against the Lakers and needed to recover from blowing a 22-point lead to win.

“We got a lot more work to do to continue to keep building getting better,” Lue said. “It’s going to be a process.”

The Nuggets are still working in a few key pieces to the roster, and it showed at times in a 124-122 overtime home loss to Sacramento on Wednesday. Green (left calf strain) didn’t play and Jamal Murray, who elevated his game in the playoff bubble, had only nine points before fouling out.

The Nuggets got a triple-double from Nikola Jokic (29 points 15 rebounds, 14 assists) and strong offensive games from Michael Porter Jr. (24 points) and Will Barton (16), but the team lost focus in the second half and at the end of overtime.

The hangover from a deeper postseason run might have been a factor, but head coach Michael Malone said after the game that shouldn’t factor in this season.

“As great as last season was, I’m going to keep saying this, that season is over,” Malone said. “That’s a different team. Yes, we have the core back. We have seven new players. As great as it was to win our division, to get to the Western Conference Finals, to come back from two 3-1 deficit, starting tonight, who cares? That’s over.”

Wednesday night Porter got the start over Barton, who didn’t play in Orlando due to a nagging knee injury. But Barton is happy for Porter’s success and is one of his biggest cheerleaders.

“I and him talk all the time, got a good relationship, we text all the time,” Barton said. “Mike’s going to be a hell of a player. He talks to me, I talk to him, and we just try to keep boosting each other’s confidence.”

The post LA CLIPPERS vs. DENVER 12/25/2020 Odds, Picks & Preview appeared first on IdealCapper.

LAS VEGAS vs DENVER
When: 1/3/2021 4:25 PM
Where:

TV: 4:25 PM
LINE: -2
PREDICTION: DENVER , LAS VEGAS

Oddsmakers currently have the DENVER listed as -2 point favorites versus the LAS VEGAS, while the game’s total is sitting at 50.5.

Now that 2020 is ending without a postseason for the Las Vegas Raiders and Denver Broncos, the teams are looking toward 2021 already.

First, they have to wrap up this schedule and start making decisions for the next one, and that will happen when Las Vegas plays at Denver on Sunday afternoon.

For the Raiders (7-8), their first year in their new home was marked by missed opportunities that cost them a chance to get in the expanded playoff field. Las Vegas is the only team to beat the Kansas City Chiefs this season, but a flat performance against Atlanta and last-second losses to the Los Angeles Chargers and Miami Dolphins turned what could have been an 11-win season into a mediocre one.

Despite the tough losses, there is a silver lining. Tight end Darren Waller is on the verge of 100 receptions; his 98 catches (for 1,079 yards and eight touchdowns) are just seven shy of Tim Brown’s franchise record and earned him a Pro Bowl selection.

Running back Josh Jacobs is 24 yards from a second straight 1,000-yard rushing season and was also named to the Pro Bowl.

“Oh, they’re great,” Raiders coach Jon Gruden said of the duo. “(Waller’s) a man that’s on the verge of potentially breaking Tim Brown’s record, one I thought never would be broken. And Josh Jacobs, those are two great building blocks.”

Waller, Jacobs and the rest of the Las Vegas offense could have a big day against Denver’s banged-up defense. Linebacker Bradley Chubb, who was also named to the Pro Bowl, has an ankle injury that kept him out of last week’s loss at the Chargers.

Defensive end Shelby Harris (knee) and safety Trey Marshall (quadriceps) are also nursing injuries. Wide receiver KJ Hamler is in the concussion protocol.

The Raiders listed several players on their injury report — tackle Trent Brown (knee), defensive end Clelin Ferrell (shoulder), guard Denzelle Good (ankle), defensive tackle Maurice Hurst (calf) and cornerback Lamarcus Joyner (thigh).

Denver (5-10) failed to reach the postseason for the fifth straight year, matching the drought from 2006-10. The Broncos hoped to see quarterback Drew Lock make a big leap after he had an impressive ending to 2019, but the second-year QB out of Missouri has struggled.

Lock has thrown 15 interceptions and has at least one turnover in 11 straight games, but he hasn’t lost confidence in himself and embraces the pressure of being a franchise quarterback.

“You feel that from Day 1 when you’re playing quarterback for any team,” Lock said Wednesday. “It’s a given pressure that is put on you, but it’s one that I’m excited about. It’s one that I’m going to carry with me into the offseason, so I can have an offseason unlike any other.

“The only thing I need to prove is that we can win a game with me under center. That’s what every quarterback has to prove — take care of the ball, put us in a good position to win the game and finish it out with a win. That’s all I want to do, and that’s all I care to do. However that needs to happen and however it does happen, I’m going to do everything I can to get us that.”

The post LAS VEGAS vs. DENVER 1/3/2021 NFL Odds, Pick & Preview appeared first on IdealCapper.

DENVER vs LA CHARGERS
When: 12/27/2020 4:05 PM
Where:

TV: 4:05 PM
LINE: -3.5
PREDICTION: LA CHARGERS , DENVER

Oddsmakers currently have the LA CHARGERS listed as -3.5 point favorites versus the DENVER, while the game’s total is sitting at 49.

The Denver Broncos and Los Angeles Chargers are only playing for pride and draft positioning Sunday afternoon at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif., but that doesn’t mean the AFC West rivals don’t have anything to celebrate.

Both can boast of having a pair of Pro Bowl players. Linebacker Bradley Chubb and safety Justin Simmons were named to the squad from Denver, while defensive end Joey Bosa and wide receiver Keenan Allen represent the Chargers.

It’s a small consolation for teams that had hoped to be playing well into January. Instead they look to the future with their young quarterbacks showing the potential to become franchise mainstays.

For the Chargers (5-9), Justin Herbert stepped into the starting role in Week 2 after Tyrod Taylor was injured in the first week of the season. Herbert has been solid in his rookie season, throwing for 3,781 yards and 27 touchdowns and rushing for another four in 13 games.

Herbert has earned the respect of Broncos coach Vic Fangio.

“Very, very impressed with him — big arm, big body, fast, strong in the pocket, hard to get down, has really run their offense with a great command,” Fangio said Wednesday. “I think their offensive coaches have done a good job bringing him along. He’s been very, very impressive.”

Herbert is coming off one of his best games of the season. He passed for 314 yards and two touchdowns, and ran for another in an overtime win over the Las Vegas Raiders. It was L.A.’s second successive victory after dropping eight of the previous 10.

Herbert beat the Raiders with Allen, his top receiver, limited with a hamstring injury. Allen didn’t practice Wednesday and could be a game-time decision Sunday.

Herbert’s opposite number, Drew Lock, hasn’t put up the same numbers but Denver (5-9) thinks it has found its quarterback after four seasons of searching. Lock has thrown just 14 TD passes and 2,330 yards in 11 games, but one of his best outings came against the Chargers on Nov. 1.

The Broncos rallied to erase a 14-point fourth-quarter deficit, winning it on Lock’s touchdown pass to KJ Hamler as time expired. Two weeks ago, he had a stunning performance against Carolina, when he was 21-for-27, 280 yards and 4 TDs in a 32-27 triumph.

He struggled last week against Buffalo but hopes to bounce back to finish the season strong.

He’ll have to do it against a former teammate who also wants to finish out the year on a high note. Cornerback Chris Harris Jr., a key member of Denver’s defense that led the team to the Super Bowl 50 title, has battled injuries in his first year with the Chargers. In Week 3 he suffered a high ankle sprain, a low ankle sprain, a broken toe and a bruised foot, missing seven games.

He returned Nov. 29. By then L.A.’s playoff hopes were slim but the former All-Pro wanted to play.

“Most guys would have been done for the year,” Harris said this week. “I was motivated to try to do whatever I can to get back and help this team.”

The Broncos will get help with the return of kicker Brandon McManus, who was placed on the COVID-19 /reserve list for close contact with someone who tested positive for the coronavirus. His one-game replacement, Taylor Russolino, missed a field goal and two extra points.

The post DENVER vs. LA CHARGERS 12/27/2020 NFL Odds, Pick & Preview appeared first on IdealCapper.

TENNESSEE vs DENVER
When: 9/14/2020 10:10 PM
Where:

TV: 10:10 PM
LINE: -2
PREDICTION: DENVER , TENNESSEE

Oddsmakers currently have the DENVER listed as -2 point favorites versus the TENNESSEE, while the game’s total is sitting at 42.

The post TENNESSEE vs. DENVER 9/14/2020 NFL Odds, Pick & Preview appeared first on IdealCapper.

ATLANTA vs DENVER
When: 9:00 PM  ET, Tuesday, November 12, 2019
Where: Pepsi Center, Denver, Colorado

TV: 9 p.m. ET, FS Southeast (Atlanta), Altitude 2 (Denver)
LINE: -11
PREDICTION: Nuggets 110, Hawks 95

Oddsmakers currently have the DENVER listed as -11 point favorites versus the ATLANTA, while the game’s total is sitting at 209.5.

The Denver Nuggets just need to keep the game close in the final seconds and star center Nikola Jokic will provide the winning touch. Jokic will try to follow two straight game-winners when the Nuggets host the Atlanta Hawks on Tuesday.

Jokic capped the largest fourth-quarter comeback – from 21 points down – in franchise history with a jumper with 1.2 seconds left in a 100-97 win over the Philadelphia 76ers on Friday and knocked down a jumper with 2.4 seconds remaining in overtime on Sunday to provide the winning margin in a 100-98 victory at Minnesota. “This is just adding to the legend of Nikola Jokic,” Denver coach Michael Malone told reporters. “… I didn’t doubt (the game-winner). Even if it didn’t (go in), I’m going to live with it because he’s our best player. He’s an MVP candidate for a reason. He’s got two game-winners back-to-back, showing everybody why he’s a special player.” The Hawks did not get off to a great start on their five-game west coast trip with a 124-113 overtime loss at Portland on Sunday – their third consecutive setback. “I’ve got to watch the film and see some of our breakdowns,” Atlanta coach Lloyd Pierce told reporters of being outscored 17-6 in overtime. “They just had a different spirit and we got caught in a couple plays and shots don’t go down.”

TV: 9 p.m. ET, FS Southeast (Atlanta), Altitude 2 (Denver)

ABOUT THE HAWKS (3-6): Point guard Trae Young did his best to keep Atlanta in the game on Sunday with 35 points and 10 assists for his second consecutive 30-point double-double. The 21-year-old is averaging 26.3 points and 8.4 assists but also matched a season high with seven turnovers on Sunday. Helping shoulder the scoring load of late is forward Jabari Parker, who stepped into the starting lineup when John Collins was suspended and is averaging 26 points and 9.5 rebounds over the last two contests.

ABOUT THE NUGGETS (7-2): Denver swingman Will Barton has been an impact player since coming back from a toe injury and made up for a poor shooting night with 12 rebounds, five assists and two steals in Sunday’s win. “He’s such a complete player,” Malone told reporters of Barton. “Will had it going and I wanted Will and Nikola to make the play. Will found him and Nikola took care of the rest. Right now, Will is playing at a high level for us.” Barton was part of a defensive effort that held Minnesota to 35.1 percent from the floor, including 6-of-45 from 3-point range.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Nuggets PF Paul Millsap recorded his first double-double of 2019-20 with 14 points and 10 rebounds on Sunday.

2. Hawks SG Allen Crabbe (knee) could make his season debut Tuesday.

3. The teams split the two-game series in each of the last two seasons, with Denver earning a 138-93 home win over Atlanta last season.

PREDICTION: Nuggets 110, Hawks 95

The post ATLANTA vs DENVER 11/12/2019 Odds, Picks & Preview appeared first on IdealCapper.

CHICAGO vs DENVER
When: 4:25 PM ET, Sunday, September 15, 2019
Where: Empower Field at Mile High, Denver, Colorado

TV: 4:25 p.m. ET, FOX.
LINE: Bears -2.5.
O/U: 40.5
PREDICTION: Bears 27, Broncos

Oddsmakers currently have the DENVER listed as -2.5 point favorites versus the CHICAGO, while the game’s total is sitting at 40.5.

Two teams looking to bounce back from disappointing season openers square off Sunday as the Chicago Bears visit the Denver Broncos. Chicago came out on top on the stat sheet against Green Bay at home but dropped a 10-3 decision while Denver suffered a 24-16 loss in Oakland that was not as close as the scoreboard indicated.

The Bears, who got on the board first, topped the Packers in first downs (16-13) and total yards (254-213) while Mitchell Trubisky (228) threw for more yards than Aaron Rodgers (203). Chicago was unable to establish the run, however, as it totaled 46 yards on 15 carries – with its longest play going for eight yards. Denver was kept off the scoreboard by Oakland in the first half on Monday and was limited to three field goals after intermission before finding the end zone with just over two minutes remaining. Joe Flacco completed 21-of-31 passes for 268 yards in his debut for the Broncos, whose defense allowed the Raiders to go 10-for-14 on third-down attempts.

ABOUT THE BEARS (0-1): Chicago allowed Trubisky to be sacked five times by Green Bay and now faces a defense that features one of the NFL’s top pass rushers in Von Miller, but tackle Charles Leno Jr. is confident in his ability to protect his quarterback this week. “I’m not saying I got a handle (on it),” Leno told reporters. “I’ve still got to go out there and do my job and perform. But going against those guys (Khalil Mack and Leonard Floyd) in practice every day. I mean, how much more difficult is it going to get?” Tight end Trey Burton has practiced on a limited basis this week after missing the season opener with a groin injury and hopes to play in Week 2.

ABOUT THE BRONCOS (0-1): Courtland Sutton got off to a good start in his quest to avoid a sophomore jinx as he made seven catches for a game-high 120 yards. “I thought he made some catches in traffic and had strong hands,” Flacco told reporters of the 23-year-old. “I thought he did a good job getting some yardage after the catch also. It wasn’t like he was wide-open, but he’s a big, physical guy that I can feel comfortable throwing the ball to in some of those situations.” Cornerback Bryce Callahan, whose 2018 season ended in Week 14 due to a foot injury, missed this year’s opener with – according to coach Vic Fangio – the “same issue” but was a limited participant in Thursday’s practice.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Broncos LB Todd Davis practiced on Wednesday for the first time since suffering a calf injury on July 18 and hopes to make his season debut this week.

2. Chicago on Wednesday claimed TE J.P. Holtz off waivers from Washington and waived DT Abdullah Anderson, who was signed to the team’s practice squad the following day.

3. Denver placed Tim Patrick (hand) on injured reserve and signed fellow WR River Cracraft, who was waived earlier this month after appearing in eight games for the team last year.

The post CHICAGO vs. DENVER 9/15/2019 NFL Odds, Pick & Preview appeared first on IdealCapper.

DENVER vs OAKLAND
When: 10:20 PM ET, Monday, September 9, 2019
Where: RingCentral Coliseum, Oakland, California

TV: 10:20 p.m. ET, ESPN.
LINE: Broncos -2.
O/U: 42.5
PREDICTION: Broncos 23, Raiders 20

Oddsmakers currently have the OAKLAND listed as -2 point favorites versus the DENVER, while the game’s total is sitting at 42.5.

The Oakland Raiders have finally stopped waffling when it comes to deciding what to do with disgruntled wide receiver Antonio Brown. The Raiders released Brown and his 686 receptions and 9,145 yards since 2013 – the most in NFL history for a six-year period – two days prior to Monday night’s season opener against the visiting Broncos, and Brown immediately signed with the defending Super Bowl champion New England Patriots.

It appears the Raiders were going to suspend Brown before he delivered an emotional apology to teammates Friday, when the club changed course and said he would play Monday. But Brown on Saturday posted “release me” on Instagram and Oakland complied after an tumultuous training camp that saw him suffer frostbite on his feet during a cryotherapy treatment, refuse to wear a new helmet even though the NFL mandated that all players must use a newer, approved model and have a heated exchange with first-year general manager Mike Mayock. The Raiders, who will move to Las Vegas after this season, and the Broncos are projected to battle for last place in the AFC West as the Joe Flacco era begins in Denver. “Listen, I feel like I’ve got a lot left in the tank and I feel like I can do a lot more than what I’ve really shown over the course of my 11-year career,” Flacco told reporters. “So, I’m excited that I’m going to have the opportunity here to do that.”

ABOUT THE BRONCOS (2018: 6-10, THIRD IN AFC WEST): Flacco, who lost his job in Baltimore last season to Lamar Jackson, needs 1,755 passing yards to reach 40,000 in his career. Running back Phillip Lindsay, who rushed for 1,037 yards as an undrafted rookie last season, is completely healed from a broken wrist that forced him to miss the final game of 2018. Denver’s defense boasts a pair of powerful pass rushers in Von Miller (14.5 sacks last season, 98 career) and Bradley Chubb (12 as a rookie in 2018), and top cornerback Chris Harris – the only player in the league with multiple interceptions over the last seven seasons.

ABOUT THE RAIDERS (2018: 4-12, LAST IN AFC WEST): Without Brown and his NFL-most 74 touchdowns since entering the league in 2010, Tyrell Williams will likely emerge as the marquee wideout as he makes his club debut after catching 153 passes and scoring 16 touchdowns over the last three seasons with the San Diego/Los Angeles Chargers. Oakland selected running back Josh Jacobs with the 24th overall pick and hope the former Alabama star can improve a ground game that was 25th in the league in each of the last two seasons while taking pressure off quarterback Derek Carr. Tahir Whitehead is one of seven linebackers in the league with five or more interceptions (five) and 30 or more tackles for loss (32) since 2014.

EXTRA POINTS

1. The Broncos have won 499 games – playoffs included – and seven straight season openers, which is the NFL’s longest active streak. Denver also owns the league’s highest Week 1 winning percentage at .672 (39-19-1).

2. The Raiders yielded an NFL-most 29.2 points per game last season.

3. Oakland leads the series 64-53-2. The home team has won the last six meetings.

The post DENVER vs. OAKLAND 9/9/2019 NFL Odds, Pick & Preview appeared first on IdealCapper.

PORTLAND vs DENVER
When: 3:30 PM  ET, Sunday, May 12, 2019
Where: Pepsi Center, Denver, Colorado

TV: 10:00 PM
LINE: -5.5
PREDICTION: Nuggets 113, Trail Blazers 110

Oddsmakers currently have the DENVER listed as -5.5 point favorites versus the PORTLAND, while the game’s total is sitting at 212.5.

The Golden State Warriors are in the Western Conference Finals for the fifth straight year and will face either the Portland Trail Blazers or Denver Nuggets, who meet in Game 7 of their semifinal matchup Sunday in Denver. The Blazers stayed alive with a 119-108 win at home in an intense Game 6 on Thursday, but they were defeated by 26 points in their last visit to Denver.

Damian Lillard scored 17 of his 32 points in the third quarter in Thursday’s win for Portland, and the Blazers’ leader says his team will be locked in for the do-or-die finale. “Don’t overthink, don’t make it some big, crazy deal or nothing like that,” Lillard told reporters of Game 7. “We’re going to play a basketball game. And it’s a big game, and we’ve won on their floor before, and we know what type of mentality we had when we did that.” The Nuggets were an NBA-best 34-7 at home during the regular season and are 5-2 at the Pepsi Center in the postseason. Star center Nikola Jokic had 29 points, 12 rebounds and eight assists in the Game 6 loss, falling just shy of his fifth triple-double of a dominant playoff run.

The post PORTLAND vs DENVER 5/12/2019 Odds, Picks & Preview appeared first on IdealCapper.

CLEVELAND BROWNS vs DENVER BRONCOS
When: 8:20 PM ET, Saturday, December 15, 2018
Where: Broncos Stadium at Mile High, Denver, Colorado

TV: 8:20 PM
LINE: -3.5
PREDICTION: DENVER , CLEVELAND

Oddsmakers currently have the DENVER listed as -3.5 point favorites versus the CLEVELAND, while the game’s total is sitting at 44.5.

The Denver Broncos’ disheartening setback in their last outing not only ended their promising three-game winning streak, it also positioned them one game behind four others in the mad dash for the sixth and final seed in the AFC playoffs. The Broncos bid to dust themselves off and post their 12th consecutive win over the Cleveland Browns on Saturday night when the clubs meet in Denver.

“Our record right now, we’re still in it, and every game now is a must-win. We haven’t talked about that, but we have to now: Every game that we play is a must-win,” coach Vance Joseph said of his Denver team that dropped a 20-14 decision at San Francisco on Sunday to reside behind Baltimore (7-6), Miami (7-6), Indianapolis (7-6) and Tennessee (7-6). Joseph also took aim at offseason acquisition Case Keenum following his third straight sub-200-yard performance, saying that the quarterback “has to make more plays.” Top overall pick Baker Mayfield, however, has found success since Cleveland fired former head coach Hue Jackson and named Freddie Kitchens as the offensive coordinator, throwing 11 touchdowns in his last five games while improving his quarterback rating to 114.4 in that stretch following Sunday’s 26-20 win over Carolina. Mayfield will look to exploit a vulnerable Broncos secondary that is without Pro Bowler Chris Harris Jr. (fractured left fibula) and could be missing fellow cornerbacks Tramaine Brock (ribs) and Isaac Yiadom (separated right shoulder).

TV: 8:20 p.m. ET, NFL Network. LINE: Broncos -3. O/U: 45.5

ABOUT THE BROWNS (5-7-1): While Mayfield’s bravado is readily available for the cameras, fellow rookie Nick Chubb has earned the nickname “Old School” for his quiet demeanor. Chubb’s play on the field speaks volumes, however, as the 22-year-old recorded a rushing touchdown in his fifth straight game versus the Panthers and eighth overall (six rushing, two receiving) in seven contests since taking over the starter’s role after Cleveland traded fellow running back Carlos Hyde to Jacksonville. Wideout Jarvis Landry found the end zone twice (one receiving, one rushing) last week and had two touchdown grabs among his seven receptions in his only career encounter at Denver in 2014 while playing with Miami. “You have to get him going early. You have to get that momentum,” Mayfield said of Landry. “Then he is a guy who he feeds off that momentum, that energy and that confidence.”

ABOUT THE BRONCOS (6-7): Linebacker Bradley Chubb told reporters that he won’t ease up on Nick Chubb, who is his second cousin. “I know he’s not going to hold back and he knows I’m not going to hold back,” said Bradley Chubb, who has posted a franchise rookie-record 12 sacks this season. “It’s just going to be a regular football game. You can’t put too much weight on it because then if you start thinking, ‘My cousin’s on the other side,’ you end up getting trucked or something.” Fellow rookie Phillip Lindsay rushed for his sixth touchdown in four games last Sunday, although he was limited to just 30 yards on 14 totes to drop his NFL-best yards per carry average on the season to an impressive 5.8. Lindsay will face Cleveland’s generous 28th-ranked rush defense needing just 33 yards to reach 1,000 on the season.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Cleveland DE Myles Garrett has collected 7.5 of his club-high 12.5 sacks in his past seven games.

2. Denver LB Von Miller has recorded 9.5 of his team-best 13.5 sacks in his last eight contests.

3. Browns CB Damarious Randall has two of his club-high four interceptions in the past three games.

PREDICTION: Browns 23, Broncos 16

The post CLEVELAND vs. DENVER 12/15/2018 NFL Odds, Pick & Preview appeared first on IdealCapper.

MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES vs DENVER NUGGETS
When: 9:00 PM  ET, Monday, December 10, 2018
Where: Pepsi Center, Denver, Colorado

TV: 9:05 PM
LINE: -1.5
PREDICTION: DENVER , MEMPHIS

Oddsmakers currently have the DENVER listed as -1.5 point favorites versus the MEMPHIS, while the game’s total is sitting at 198.5.

The Denver Nuggets finished a road-heavy portion of their schedule with a whimper and hope to rediscover their winning ways at home. They begin a four-game homestand, tied for the longest they’ll enjoy all season, when they host the Memphis Grizzlies on Monday.

Denver climbed to the top of the Western Conference on the strength of a recent seven-game winning streak, which included five straight road victories, before faltering at Charlotte and Atlanta as injuries piled up and makeshift rotations struggled for consistency. “This was one of our worst performances of the year,” Nuggets coach Michael Malone told reporters after Saturday’s 106-98 loss to the lowly Hawks. “We had a lot of guys who had really bad nights. It was by far our worst passing game since I’ve been here. We couldn’t pass the ball from A to B. We couldn’t get the ball inside. It’s just a lack of discipline, lack of awareness, lack of execution. It’s a tough way to finish up a long road trip.” The Grizzlies will be attempting to bounce back from a bad loss as well after they fell 111-88 at home against the Los Angeles Lakers on Saturday. Memphis made just 6-of-30 3-pointers in its second-most lopsided setback of the season.

TV: 9 p.m. ET, FS Southeast (Memphis), Altitude (Denver)

ABOUT THE GRIZZLIES (15-10): Wayne Selden was the leading scorer for Memphis for the first time this season with 17 points against the Lakers, while star guard Mike Conley was limited to 12 on 4-of-12 shooting. The Grizzlies were outrebounded 57-36 overall and outscored by 25 points through the first three quarters in a contest that brought back memories of their 22-60 finish in 2017-18. “We’ve got to bounce back,” reserve forward JaMychal Green told the media. “We can’t play like this ever again this season. We had enough of those games last season.”

ABOUT THE NUGGETS (17-9): Guards Gary Harris (hip) and Will Barton (hip) were already out Saturday, forward Paul Millsap missed his first game since breaking his right big toe at Charlotte and leading scorer Jamal Murray was limited after taking a kick to the shin in the first half. “I thought this was one of the tougher games that he’s had,” Malone told reporters of Murray. “That shin has been bothering him prior to tonight. It’s one of those injuries where you try to protect it, but every kick, hit, anytime it gets touched it’s probably really, really painful for him.” Star center Nikola Jokic remains one of the few healthy key players and finished Saturday’s loss with 24 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Jokic attempted — and missed — only one shot in 26 minutes in an 89-87 loss at Memphis earlier this season.

2. Grizzlies C Joakim Noah is averaging 7.7 points and 4.3 rebounds in three games since signing with the team last week.

3. Nuggets PF Juan Hernangomez recorded two straight double-doubles after having one through his first 23 games.

PREDICTION: Nuggets 104, Grizzlies 99

The post MEMPHIS vs DENVER 12/10/2018 Odds, Picks & Preview appeared first on IdealCapper.