2022/23 NBA champions the Denver Nuggets head into their fourth-straight road game on Tuesday night as they square off against the Indiana Pacers at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, Indianapolis.
The game will take place at 7:00 p.m. ET, and the road team enter as 5-point favorites (-105 with Bet Rivers). The Nuggets (30-14) currently sit third in the Western Conference, whilst the Pacers (24-19) are seventh in the Eastern Conference. The total is currently set at O/U 239.
Indiana are on a poor run right now and have lost four of their last five games. However, their home record has been strong and they have won five of their last six in Indianapolis. Meanwhile, Denver are in good shape heading into the game and have won four of their last five outings. They are searching for their third successive triumph on the road. Be sure to take a look at our best bet for the matchup below!
Last Time Out
Playing in their sixth successive road game, the Pacers struggled in a 117-110 defeat against the Phoenix Suns last time out. It’s been a tough spell for Indiana who have won just two games across a six-game stretch on their travels. They’ll very much welcome a return to their own court here as they have lost just two of their past eight at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
After winning seven of their last ten, Denver are one of the strongest teams in the Western Conference at the moment. They are bettered by only the Los Angeles Clippers (8-2) over the last ten games. Five-time All-Star Nikola Jokic led the Nuggets to a 113-104 win over the Washington Wizards on Sunday, putting up 42 points, 12 rebounds and eight assists.
Injuries
Indiana’s drop in form has corresponded with the injury to All-Star point guard Tyrese Haliburton. He has featured in just one of the Pacers’ last seven games, and remains questionable for tonight’s matchup due to a hamstring issue. Center Isaiah Jackson and guard Andrew Nembhard are also in doubt.
As for Denver, they will be without Vlatko Cancar, Collin Gillespie, Braxton Key, and Julian Strawther for the game. However, forwards Michael Porter Jr. and Aaron Gordon have been listed as probable in what is a big boost for Michael Malone’s team.
Head-to-Head
The Nuggets recorded a 117-109 win over the Pacers when they met in Denver earlier this month. Jokic, Jamal Murray and Porter all scored 25 points each, whilst Gordon put up 20 himself. Indiana were without Haliburton for the game.
Having won their last seven consecutive meetings with the Pacers, it’s not much of a surprise that the Nuggets are the favorites here. Bet Rivers have them priced at -175 on the moneyline. Indiana haven’t beaten Denver since 2020, and have lost their last four-straight home clashes against them as well.
Against the Spread Stats
The current champs haven’t been great ATS this season (19-24-1), and have covered in just 44.2% of their games (ranked 25th in the NBA). That percentage drops to just 35.7% after a win, and they have an ATS record of just 8-15-0 on the road. However, their average margin of victory across all games this season is five. Denver are covering just a third of the time as away favorites (6-12-0).
Conversely, Indiana has been one of the strongest ATS teams in the league for the 2023/24 campaign. They are currently ranked fifth across the NBA with an ATS record of 24-18-2 (57.1%). They are covering 60% of the time in home games (12-8-1), and are the fourth best team ATS as home underdogs (5-2).
Key Players
2022 MVP Jokic ranks 13th for points per game across the league this season (26.1), but ranks fourth across the NBA for rebounds (11.9) and assists (9.1). He put in a fantastic display against the Wizards last time out, scoring 42 points. He leads the Nuggets in PPG, rebounds, assists and blocks. Jokic won’t be the only concern for the Pacers, though. Guard Murray is also having a fantastic season and is averaging 20.9 points, 3.8 rebounds and 6.5 assists.
Haliburton is the key man for Indiana, and they will be sweating over his health for the game. He leads the team in PPG (23.6) and assists (12.6). Nonetheless, forward Pascal Siakam (18 points, five rebounds, five assists) will also be a threat after his trade from the Toronto Raptors earlier this month. He put up 21 points, six rebounds and three assists in his debut against the Portland Trail Blazers last Saturday.
Best Bet
With Haliburton likely a game-time decision, and still nursing a hamstring problem, it looks set to be another tough night for Indiana against an impressive Nuggets team. Denver have been poor ATS this season, but their average 5-point margin of victory means they could cover here.
Jokic will be tough to stop, whilst Murray will also need to be covered. The Nuggets have proven that they can score from multiple areas, with guys like Porter and Gordon contributing a lot in their previous clash with the Pacers.
Denver Nuggets -5 (-105 with Bet Rivers)