The Denver Nuggets invade the Footprint Center to take on the Phoenix Suns on Christmas Day. Here’s a Phoenix Suns vs Denver Nuggets Prediction. This article will include a Phoenix Suns vs Denver Nuggets Pick.
Denver Nuggets
The Denver Nuggets have been in great shape as they’ve won five of their last six games overall and they will be aiming for a third straight victory after blowing past the Suns in a 117-90 home win on Monday. Nikola Jokic led the team with 32 points and seven assists on 12 of 17 shooting, Michael Porter Jr added 24 points with six rebounds and four assists on 10 of 12 shooting while Aaron Gordon chipped in with 12 points.
As a team, the Nuggets shot 51 percent from the field and 16 of 41 from the 3-point line as they traded shots with the Suns in a tightly contested first half, before they outscored the Suns by 62-39 in the second half to make it look easy at the end.
Phoenix Suns
Meanwhile, the Phoenix Suns have been in a real slump as they’ve lost six of their last eight games overall and they will be hoping to avoid a fourth straight defeat after getting trounced by the Nuggets in a 117-90 road defeat on Monday. Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal each scored 23 points but no other player finished in double figures in scoring.
As a team, the Suns shot just 39 percent from the field and 13 of 33 from the 3-point line as they played well to trail by just four points going into halftime before they got smashed by 62-39 in the second half to suffer one of their worst defeats of the season. Royce O’Neale had a quiet game of just six points on two of nine shooting while Monte Morris scored just seven points on three of 10 shooting. The Suns will play the Mavericks and Warriors after this game.
Why the Denver Nuggets will win
- The Suns have lost each of their last seven games against Northwest Division opponents that held a winning record.
- The Nuggets have won each of their last four games against Pacific Division opponents.
- The Suns have failed to cover the spread in eight of their last nine games as underdogs.
- The road team has covered the spread in four of the Suns’ last five games.
Total Points Facts
- Seven of the Suns’ last eight home games against Western Conference opponents have gone UNDER the total points line.
- Each of the Nuggets’ last four road games has gone OVER the total points line.
Phoenix Suns Player Facts
- Tyus Jones ranks 3rd amongst qualified players for assist:turnover ratio (5.7) this season.
- Jusuf Nurkic ranks 6th amongst qualified players for rebounds per 36 minutes (14.0) this season.
Denver Nuggets Player Facts
- Nikola Jokic ranks 1st amongst qualified players for 3P% (51.4%) this season.
- Christian Braun ranks 3rd in the league for fast break points (126) this season.
Matchup/League Facts
- The Suns rank 30th for points in the paint (1144) this season.
- The Suns rank 30th for points in the paint per game (40.9) this season.
- The Nuggets rank 1st in the league for assists per game this season (31.3).
- The Nuggets rank 30th in the league for opponent assists per game this season (29.6).
Phoenix Suns vs Denver Nuggets Prediction
The Nuggets are still missing Jamal Murray, while the Suns are still without Grayson Allen and Devin Booker. The Nuggets have been a team on the rise as they’ve barely missed a step over the last two weeks, and they just smashed the Suns with ease on Monday. It’s always tough to beat the same team twice in a row in their own building, but the Suns don’t have the depth to cover for any missing star players, and I think we will see that again in this meeting.