The struggling Phoenix Suns hit the road and travel to Mile High to face the Denver Nuggets at the Pepsi Center on Friday night.
The Phoenix Suns went to the lottery last season and drafted DeAndre Ayton. But as the owners of the worst record in the Western Conference at 11-39, Phoenix is looking at another lottery selection this year. Phoenix enters this game with a six-game losing streak and a 4-20 record on the road.
Ayton has missed the Suns’ last three games with a sore ankle and is a game-time decision here as he has been in their previous two games. He is a big loss at 16.4 points and 10.6 rebounds. Meanwhile, Dragan Bender has started in Ayton’s place the last two games he’s put up double doubles in those two games.
The Denver Nuggets have steadily increased their win totals from 30 in 2015, to 33 the following year, 40 in 2017 and 46 last season. The Nuggets are currently at 31-15, own the best record in the Western conference at 20-4 and trail the Golden State Warriors by two games in the Western Conference team standings. With the way they are playing now, Denver is looking at its best season in five years.
Aside from the sensational season being put up by Nikola Jokic, the Nuggets’ success can be attributed to their 6th ranked scoring defense which allows just 106.4 points per game. Denver is also among the league leaders with their rebounding differential of plus 4.9 and their opponents three point field goal percentage of 34.1%.
Phoenix is 2-8 SU in their last 10 games played. The Suns are 0-5 SU in their last five road games. Denver is 6-4 SU in their last 10 games played. The Nuggets are 5-1 SU in their last six home games. Head to head, the Nuggets are 8-2 in their last 10 games versus the Suns.
The Nuggets are one of the big surprises of the season as they led the Western Conference for a while before the Warriors recently overtook them. No shame in that really considering how experienced and loaded the Warriors are. But Denver is for real this season and they are a very good basketball team when 100% healthy.
The Suns have been the doormats of the NBA for several seasons now. They have been rebuilding and have already two franchise building blocks in Devin Booker and DeAndre Ayton. But while both are having individually good seasons, they have not been enough to give Phoenix enough victories this season and the team itself looks like they are one established star and one more lottery pick from becoming a contender again.
This is the #2 team in the West hosting the bottom team in the conference at their home floor. Phoenix will be without their second leading scorer in T.J. Warren who is out for at least two weeks with an ankle injury. The weather forecast in Denver isn’t good for the Suns. I’m picking the Denver Nuggets to beat the Phoenix Suns on 1/25/19.
Both the Suns and Nuggets are 5-5 ATS in their respective last 10 games played. Phoenix is 3-2 ATS in their last five games while the Denver is 4-2 ATS in their last six home games hosted. Head to head, the Denver is 6-3-1 ATS in their last 10 encounters against Phoenix.
The Suns are 0-4 ATS in their last four Friday games. Phoenix is also 2-6 ATS in their last six games against teams with winning straight up records. The Nuggets are 5-2 ATS in their last seven home games versus teams with a road winning percentage of below .400. Denver is also 11-4 ATS in their last 15 home games played. Denver has played well this season. They have been greater at home. Give me the favorites here. Prediction: Nuggets -15
The under is 6-4 in the Suns’ last 10 games. The total has gone over in three out of the last five road games of Phoenix. The over is 7-3 in the Nuggets’ last 10 games played. Denver has seen the total go over in five out of their last six home games.
Denver’s last five games have hit the over and the under is 11-1 in their last 12 home games against teams with losing road records. The Suns have seen the total go over in three out of their last five games. Yes, Denver is a defensive team but when they play losing teams, their offense also gets into high gear and they beat up those teams. I think that’s what’s going to happen here with Phoenix giving up 117 in their last two games played. Prediction: Over 222
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