Denver Nuggets at Phoenix Suns Betting Preview
07 June 2021
Denver comes into this series having eliminated the Portland Trail Blazers in six games in the First Round. The Nuggets made it to the Western Conference Finals a season ago and are now just four wins away from pulling off the feat again.
Phoenix did the unthinkable by eliminating LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers in Round 1. The Suns were the second-best team in the NBA during the regular season, and this team has a solid mix of veterans and young players.
The Phoenix Suns are five-point favorites over the Denver Nuggets on Monday night.
Booker Blistering on Offense
Devin Booker averaged 29.7 points per game against the Lakers, including a 47-point performance in the series-clinching Game 6. Booker continues to be a bit underrated, but he is using these playoffs to prove he is one of the best in the league.
Center Deandre Ayton averaged 15.8 points, and 10.7 rebounds against the Los Angeles, and he will be a huge key in this series. Ayton has to find a way to slow down Nikola Jokic of the Nuggets to give his team a chance.
The Suns allowed just 107.4 points per game during the regular season, and that defense was sharp against the Lakers. Phoenix wants to play an uptempo style of basketball, but they have proved that they have what it takes to win a low-scoring game.
Nuggets Must Shoot Well
Denver shot 40.6 percent from the three-point line against the Trail Blazers, and they are going to need to shoot it well again against Phoenix. The Nuggets are still without Jamal Murray, but Michael Porter Jr. has turned into a great scoring option.
Nikola Jokic is likely the league MVP this season, and he just continues to do nearly everything for this team. Jokic averaged 33.0 points, and 10.5 rebounds per game in Round 1, and the Nuggets run the offense through him.
Denver was not as dominant on the defensive end of the floor as in year’s past, but they will look to lean on the defense to slow down the Suns.
Denver Defeats Suns in Game 1
This series should be extremely competitive, and both teams have shown the ability to win games on the road in the postseason. The home-court advantage might play a role at some point in this matchup, but it won’t matter in Game 1.
Denver just continues to find ways in the postseason, and Nikola Jokic should have a monster series against the Suns. Phoenix can really shoot the basketball, but the Nuggets are a solid defensive team.
Game 1 of this series will set the tone with how competitive this matchup will be, but it will be the road team that picks up the win. Bet the Denver Nuggets money line over the Phoenix Suns on Monday night.
