Denver Nuggets games this week:
Tuesday, 11/12: Nuggets vs Atlanta Hawks (3-6)
The Hawks are coming off a hard fought loss to the Portland Trail Blazers in overtime. Trae Young is a wonderful player, but Gary Harris should pester him nonstop, and Jamal Murray can punish him offensively. Beyond Young, the roster is made up of Jabari Parker and a variety of young players that should struggle with Denver’s ball pressure and cutting offense.
Thursday, 11/14: Nuggets vs Brooklyn Nets (4-5)
The battle between Murray and Kyrie Irving is always must-see TV. Murray has played well to start the year, but Irving is averaging 30 points and 7.2 assists per game in his first nine contests with the Brooklyn Nets. The rest of the team has been rough around him, and like Atlanta, the Nuggets should deploy Harris on Irving and be in reasonably good shape with their other matchups. This game is built for Nikola Jokic to excel as he will battle with Jarrett Allen and DeAndre Jordan, two rim runners who struggle with fundamental defense against a crafty post player like Jokic.
Saturday, 11/2: Nuggets @ Memphis Grizzlies (2-7)
This is a sneaky trap game because of Memphis’ combination of young guys to bring energy and vets that make shots. Jae Crowder always likes to go at the Nuggets, and Jonas Valanciunas is always a load to handle. Combine that with Ja Morant, Jaren Jackson Jr., and Brandon Clarke, and it’s hard not to love this team, even though they’re not good. They have talent.
Injury Report: Likely no one, but watch Malik Beasley and Jamal Murray
Both Beasley and Murray exited at different points of the game in Minnesota on Sunday. Murray returned to the contest, but Beasley did not. Both were questionable to return at the time, so it seems unlikely the injuries will have long term effects on either player, but it’s something to watch out for. The Nuggets have dealt with so many long term injuries to starters the last few years. Having a good stretch of health, even with some bumps, bruises, and stitches, should always be celebrated.
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Nuggets bet of the week: Team points OVER vs Brooklyn Nets
The Nets are a bad defensive team right now, and it seems unlikely for that simple fact to change in the next few days. Conversely, the Nuggets are a bad offensive team, but they seem close to figuring some things out. The shooting will eventually come around, but the interior offense has been mush better in recent games, especially on the starting unit. It will be difficult for the Nets to hold down Denver and their superior size on the interior, as well as the back cuts and shot opportunities Denver creates from their interior passing.
Nuggets DFS play of the week: Jamal Murray vs Brooklyn Nets
Do I really need to explain? Murray has been on a roll to start the year until a rough second half against the Minnesota Timberwolves when he sustained a minor injury that held him out for a portion of the contest. He will have a few days to get right and then a date with Kyrie Irving on Thursday. I think he goes off in a rivalry game and possibly accumulates a high number of assists too with Jokic facing a good matchup himself.
Spotlight on: Keeping the momentum
The Nuggets are currently 7-2, tied for first place in the Western Conference and on a four game winning streak. They have beat multiple Eastern Conference opponents during this stretch and traveled to Minnesota on Sunday to win a close matinee game. Now, the Nuggets have three sub .500 opponents coming to town. There’s a chance the Nuggets reach 10-2 by the end of next week if they stay focused, play their cards right, and keep the momentum moving forward. The bench will need to step up though, and the team will need to hit more shots as a whole in order to help this last. Right now, the Nuggets are running fairly lucky with opponent shooting. That could change at any moment, and if it does, the Nuggets could be in trouble offensively. Denver has to go at least 2-1 this week, but if they go undefeated, it will send a message that they aren’t to be trifled with anymore and could finish at the top of the West once again.
