6:08 pm
March 1

Raptors @ Nuggets

Who will WIN this matchup?

Toronto Raptors (42-17)

@ Denver Nuggets (40-19)

 

Current odds:

Toronto Raptors: (+145)

Denver Nuggets: (-165)

 

• The spread for the game is Denver by 3.5 points.

• Toronto got one player back but lost two more on Friday as Norman Powell reentered the lineup for the first time since suffering a broken finger on Jan. 31 while guard Fred VanVleet sat out to rest a sore shoulder and forward Serge Ibaka missed the game with knee soreness – leaving both players day-to-day. Powell scored 22 points on 8-of-19 shooting in 36 minutes, but the team missed Ibaka’s size in the middle and was outrebounded 66-56. Rondae Hollis-Jefferson started in place of Ibaka and was held to four points on 2-of-8 shooting.

• Denver last beat a team with a winning record at Utah on Feb. 5 and Malone is concerned about his team’s execution on the offensive end. “I learned when I was a young kid to read what the defense gives you,” Malone told reporters. “We’re not reading the defense at all we’re just trying to force things that are not there. We’ll get back at it and clean this up and hopefully, we can get back to competing at a high level.” Star center Nikola Jokic was a notable exception to the offensive struggles on Friday, scoring 21 points on 9-of-13 shooting in the loss, and is shooting 74 percent from the floor in four games since the All-Star break.

• Denver took both meetings last season and three of the last four in the series.

4/10
Confidence
StreakSmarter Pick
Toronto Raptors
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