The Denver Nuggets (18-10) travel to face off against the Toronto Raptors (11-15) on Wednesday, December 20th. This game will be played at Scotiabank Arena. Both team’s come into this one having won their previous games. Tip-off is set for 7:30 ET.

Nuggets vs Raptors

The Nuggets Are Coming Off A Win

The Nuggets picked up a win over the Mavericks in their latest game, finishing with a score of 130-104. The Nuggets not only won the game but also covered the spread as -8.5-point favorites. Regarding the over/under, the combined score of 234 points ended up below the over/under line of 239.5.

As of today, the Nuggets are 18-10 overall and have gone 2-1 in their last three games. They are currently 3rd in the Western Conference and are in 3rd place in the Northwest division.

Denver arrives with an ATS record of 12-15 for the season up to this point. As the favorite this season, Denver is 11-13 vs. the spread while going 1-2 as the underdog.

The Raptors Are Coming Off A Win

In their most recent game, the Raptors took down the Hornets by a score of 114-99. In addition to their straight-up win, the Raptors also covered the spread as -12-point favorites. Considering the over/under, the total of 213 points fell short of the set over/under line of 223.5.

With an overall record of 11-15, the Raptors are 3-7 in their last ten games. As a result, the team is currently in 10th place in the Eastern Conference and 5th in the Atlantic division.

Toronto has a .500 ATS record so far this season, marked at 13-13. This season, Toronto has a 5-6 record against the spread when they are the favorites, and they are 8-7 as underdogs.

Nuggets Offense Breakdown

The Nuggets come into today’s game as the 14th ranked scoring offense at 115.2 points per game. Coming into today’s game, the Nuggets will be looking to improve their 3-point shooting numbers, as they are averaging just 11.7 made 3’s per game. If the Denver offense is going to improve, they must continue to do a good job avoiding turnovers. Currently, the unit is 2nd in fewest turnovers per game.

Raptors Offense Breakdown

In 26 games games, Toronto has an average of 112.5 points per game (21st). Coming into today’s game, the Raptors will be looking to improve their 3-point shooting numbers, as they are averaging just 11.3 made 3’s per game. If Toronto continues to struggle with their outside shot, they may look to start playing with more pace, as they are currently 18th in the league in possessions per game.

Nuggets Team Defense

This season, the Nuggets defense has been impressive, holding the 5 position in the league while permitting an average of 110.5 points per contest.

When it comes to defending inside the arc, the Nuggets squad is permitting opposing teams to shoot at a clip of 52.2% inside the arc, and they’re also giving up 35.8% from downtown.

Raptors Team Defense

On the defensive side, Raptors is currently hovering around the NBA’s average for points allowed, conceding an average of 114.2 points per game.

In the terms of takeaways, Raptors are causing 13.6 turnovers per game, ranking 18th in the league. They also enter the matchup ranked 21st in rejections, averaging 4.7 blocked shots each game.

Key Players For The Nuggets And Raptors

For today’s matchup, we project Nikola Jokic to lead the scoring for the Nuggets, putting up 16 points and shooting at a rate of 6/11. During this season, he is delivering an average of 26.3 points per game, along with 12.3 rebounds.

On the opposing side, we anticipate Pascal Siakam to be the top scorer for the Raptors. Our projection has him finishing the game with 18, and he is expected to secure 5 rebounds. For the season, he has a field goal percentage of 51% and is averaging 21.2 points per contest.

Nuggets vs Raptors Trends

• Across their ten previous road games, Denver has an ATS mark of 4-6. Their straight up record in these matchups was 5-5 while averaging 111 points per game.
• Through their last three home contests, the Raptors offense has averaged 116 points per game while allowing an average of 123. Toronto posted an overall record of 0-3 while going 0-3 ATS.
• Looking back on the team’s last five games as the underdog, the Raptors have a straight up record of 2-3. Their record vs the spread in these games was 3-2.
• Through their last three games as the favorite, the Nuggets have an ATS record of 2-1 and a straight up mark of 2-1.

 

Nuggets vs Raptors Prediction

 

For a point-spread bet in this Nuggets vs. Raptors matchup, we’re leaning towards the Raptors at +4.5. Although our projections show the Nuggets winning 109-107, we suggest placing your bet on the Raptors for the point-spread.

As for the total, the line is currently sitting at 230 and our model has the Nuggets and Raptors finishing with a combined 216 points. Our pick is to take the under.

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All odds are courtesy of Action247 Sportsbook. Good luck!!

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* All odds are provided by Action247 Sportsbook and all odds subject to change.**All views expressed are my own. My picks are my own and are not a guarantee, bet at your own risk.Action247 does not warrant the accuracy of completeness of the information, text, graphics, links or other items contained within these post.