- The Phoenix Suns and Denver Nuggets matchup on March, 24th
- Phoenix is on the second night of a back-to-back after beating the Timberwolves on Wednesday night
- Read below for the latest Suns vs Nuggets odds and best bet
The Phoenix Suns face the Denver Nuggets in Colorado on Thursday night. Denver is three-point favorites for the encounter with the Suns coming off a Wednesday night win over Minnesota. The Suns are just 6-6 against the spread in 2021-22 with no rest, but the Nuggets are 6-9 ATS with a rest advantage.
This is the third and final meeting of the regular season between the two. It’s one win apiece so far, with the Nuggets coming out on top in October. The Suns recorded a dominant win the following month, partly due to Denver putting out a frontcourt of Jeff Green and JaMychal Green.
Phoenix swept a depleted Denver in the playoffs last season and took the season series 2-1. Both of those wins came in overtime on consecutive January days, however.
Suns vs Nuggets Odds
| Team | Spread | Moneyline | Total Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phoenix Suns | +3 (-108) | +130 | Over 231 (-110) |
| Denver Nuggets | -3 (-112) | -154 | Under 231 (-110) |
Odds as of Mar 24 at FanDuel
The Nuggets, with the rest advantage, start the game as -154 favorites on the moneyline.
Injury Report
Phoenix could welcome Chris Paul back on Thursday evening, according to John Gambadoro. There is no guarantee that Paul returns, though, and he could wait until Sunday’s game with Philadelphia. Cam Johnson is set to miss a few more days with a quadriceps issue, while Monty Williams remains without long-term absentees Dario Saric and Frank Kaminsky.
It’s a familiar tale on the Nuggets’ injury report. Jamal Murray is ‘not close’ to returning according to Michael Malone, and Michael Porter Jr is still ruled out. There hasn’t been an update on Vlatko Cancar since January.
By the way, in the halfcourt, Phoenix is now 1st in offensive rating and 2nd in defensive rating.
Suns are +10.7 per 100 possessions since the All-Star break — without Chris Paul
Monty Williams is the Coach of the Year. Hopefully he gets it this time. Should’ve won it last year
— Shane Young (@YoungNBA) March 24, 2022
Second-year forward Zeke Nnaji has missed the last seven games with a knee issue. He’s not available for this one either.
Phoenix Keeps Winning
The Suns have remained spectacular without Paul. Their 11 wins since the All-Star break is only bettered by the Boston Celtics, and they are third in net rating over that period. While Devin Booker’s hefty box scores have garnered much of the praise, it has been a team-wide effort with players taking on a bigger role as and when required.
Deandre Ayton is coming off a 35-point performance against the Timberwolves. Cameron Payne has seamlessly adapted to an increased usage, and Mikal Bridges continues to add to his offensive game. Johnson was a considerable factor pre-injury, too, but his production has largely been replaced by Landry Shamet, who has 54 points over the last three games.
HELL OF A GAME, @DEANDREAYTON! pic.twitter.com/SqTo8ReIac
— y – Phoenix Suns (@Suns) March 24, 2022
Just as covering for Paul’s absence on offense has been a group effort, Phoenix will take a similar approach on the defensive end when it comes to dealing with Nikola Jokic on Thursday night. Only the Orlando Magic have a better defensive rating since the break. Ayton will obviously spend a lot of time on the NBA MVP odds candidate, but don’t be surprised to see Jae Crowder or Mikal Bridges get reps against Jokic to allow Ayton to stay closer to the basket.
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Suns vs Nuggets Prediction
Denver is 6-4 over the last 10 as they battle for sixth in the Western Conference. Jokic continues to do outrageous things, and he was helped out by his teammates last time out with six others reaching double figures. The play of the Joker’s supporting cast is what will decide this game.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E4vVHMiz2jo
While the Suns aren’t going to be able to stop Jokic, their defense can make life difficult for Will Barton, Aaron Gordon and Monte Morris. These are the matchups where Denver really misses Porter and Murray.
The Nuggets have struggled against the league’s better teams in March, losing to the Celtics, Cavaliers, Raptors and Warriors. Just as the offense is short on firepower around Jokic, their defense has not been able to contain both perimeter and interior forces.
Phoenix is a juggernaut. They have only been underdogs 10 times this season, but they have covered in six of those games. With a small spread here, though, we’re going to take the moneyline for some plus odds. This is another night where the Suns’ superb group of role players can power them to a win against the Nuggets’ inferior depth.
Pick: Suns moneyline (+130)
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