Denver Nuggets (59-30) vs. Phoenix Suns (49-40)
May 5, 2023 10:00 pm EDT
The Line: Phoenix Suns -3.5; Over/Under: +227.5
(Get latest betting odds)
The Denver Nuggets and the Phoenix Suns duke it out in a crucial Game 3 at the Footprint Center on Friday night.
The Denver Nuggets will be looking to take a commanding 3-0 series lead after taking down the Suns in a crucial 97-87 home win in game 2 on Monday. Nikola Jokic led the team with 39 points, 16 rebounds and five assists, Aaron Gordon added 16 points while Kentavious Caldwell-Pope chipped in with 14 points on five of six shooting. As a team, the Nugget shot 47 percent from the field and seven of 27 from the 3-point line as they went back and forth with the Suns in a close contest, until they dominated the fourth quarter by 27-14 to pull away and win comfortably in the end.
Meanwhile, the Phoenix Suns will be feeling that they missed out on a big chance to square up the series in Game 2. Devin Booker led the way with 35 points, five rebounds and six assists, Kevin Durant added 24 points with eight rebounds and three assists while Deandre Ayton chipped in with 14 points, eight rebounds and four assists. As a team, the Suns shot just 40 percent from the field and six of 31 from the 3-point line which was good enough to hang with the Nuggets in a close contest, until the fourth quarter where they managed just 14 points to allow the Nuggets to slip away. Chris Paul had a quiet game of just eight points on four of 10 shooting while the bench combined for just four points on two of 16 shooting.
Looking at the betting trends, the Nuggets are 5-1 ATS in their last six games following a win and 5-0 ATS in their last five games playing on three or more days rest. The Suns are 3-7 ATS in their last 10 games following a loss, 1-3-1 ATS in their last five games playing on three or more days rest and 1-4 ATS in their last five games overall.
Head to head, the over is 11-4 in the last 15 meetings in Phoenix and the Nuggets are 5-0 ATS in the last five meetings overall.
The Nuggets couldn’t find their offense in Game 2, but they defended well and managed to squeeze out the win thanks to a monster game from Jokic. The Suns will be kicking themselves after leading for most of the game, but they couldn’t find their offense when it mattered most and now they are shorthanded for their biggest game of the season with Chris Paul already ruled out with a groin injury. With what is at stake, I’m sure we’re going to see big games from Booker and Durant in this one, but I still don’t think it will be enough to hold off these Nuggets who are 5-0 ATS in the last five meetings overall. The Suns will come out swinging in this one, but I think the Nuggets push them to the edge in a close finish.
