DENVER NUGGETS VS. PHILADELPHIA 76ERS – ODDS & PREDICTIONS FOR JANUARY 16, 2024

Greetings, basketball fans. Welcome back to our NBA coverage here at Latest Basketball News. One of the games on tap from Tuesday’s slate features the Oklahoma City Thunder (27-12 SU, 26-12-1 ATS) taking on the LA Clippers (25-14 SU, 20-19 ATS).

Here is a look at which team has the edge going into this matchup and why.

Tipoff

• When: Tuesday, January 16, 2024
  
• Time: 7:30 PM ET
  
• Where: Well Fargo Center
  
• Location: Philadelphia, PA
  
• TV: TNT

Denver Nuggets vs. Philadelphia 76ers Odds (Via DraftKings)

Denver Nuggets vs. Philadelphia 76ers – Regular Season Stats & Betting Trends

Will The Nuggets Kick Off Their Five-Game Road Trip With A Win In The City Of Brotherly Love?

Denver Nuggets Season Stats:

• Scoring Offense: 116.2 PPG – 13TH       
• Offensive Efficiency: 119.2 points per 100 possessions – 7TH       
• Scoring Defense: 110.0 PPG – 4TH       
• Defensive Efficiency: 113.8 points per 100 possessions – 11TH  

The Nuggets come into this matchup with the third-best record in the Western Conference. They have won eight of their last 10 decisions while posting wins in each of their last two games. This includes a 117-109 victory against the Indiana Pacers on Sunday night. 

The Nuggets had four starters that scored at least 20 points in this contest. Nikola Jokic finished with 25 points, 12 rebounds, and nine assists on 12-for-13 shooting from the field. Jamal Murray contributed 25 points and eight assists, while Michael Porter Jr. added 25 points, eight rebounds and five assists. 

“I think we’re in a good spot,” Michael Porter said after the game. “We’re about what you can expect with a vastly different bench lineup than last year coming off a championship and a short summer. Obviously, we’d love to be No. 1 in the west, but we’re a couple of games behind it. We’re feeling good. Guys are healthy. That’s all you can ask for.”

In one of their poorest performances of the season from a ball-handling perspective, Denver turned the ball over 21 times and Indiana scored 17 points off those miscues. Additionally, the Nuggets gave up 14 offensive rebounds, which led to 20 second-chance points for the road team.

With a five-game road trip starting with this matchup against the Sixers, the Nuggets will need to produce a better effort against one of the better teams in the Eastern Conference.

Can The Sixers Extend Their Winning Streak To Three Games Against The Defending Champs?

Philadelphia 76ers Season Stats:

• Scoring Offense: 119.8 PPG – 6TH   
• Offensive Efficiency: 119.9 points per 100 possessions – 5TH      
• Scoring Defense: 111.6 PPG – 8TH    
• Defensive Efficiency: 111.8 points per 100 possessions – 4TH    

On the other side of this matchup, the Sixers have the third-best record in the Eastern Conference. The team is just 5-5 across its last 10 outings while winning each of their last two contests. This includes a 124-115 win over the Houston Rockets on Monday night. 

Joel Embiid scored a team-high 41 points (on 12-for-21 shooting) to go along with 10 rebounds and three assists. Tyrese Maxey added 27 points and seven assists. 

When healthy, the Sixers are as good as any team in the league, including the defending champions. However, with the reigning MVP dealing with knee inflammation, it could limit his effectiveness for the foreseeable future. 

Now that we have set the table for this matchup, let us closely examine the all-important betting trends for both sides.

The Picks

The Spread

The Sixers opened as a one-point favorite. At the time of this writing, the line has moved to 3.5 points for the home team.

Here is a look at how both teams have fared against the spread this season. 

• The Nuggets are 2-4 ATS in their last six games.
• Denver is 4-9 ATS in their last 13 matchups against Philadelphia.
• The Nuggets are 7-3 ATS in their last 10 games against Eastern Conference teams.
• The Sixers are 12-6 ATS in their last 18 games.
• Philly is 4-2 ATS in their last six home games against the Nuggets.
• In their last five matchups against Western Conference teams, the Sixers are 4-1 against the spread.

If Embiid is in the lineup, going with the home team to cover the spread looks smart.

Prediction: Philadelphia 76ers (-3.5)

Over/Under

The projected over/under total for this matchup opened at 229.5 points. At this time of this writing, the line has moved 229 points (via pre-game.com). Here is why going with the “OVER” is the smart choice. 

• The total has gone UNDER five times in the Nuggets’ last six matchups against Atlantic Division teams.

• The UNDER total has hit five times in the Sixers’ last seven games.

• In Philadelphia’s last five games at home the UNDER total has won four times.

• The UNDER total has prevailed six times in the Sixers’ last nine games against Denver. 

Prediction: UNDER 229 points

Prop Bets

The key player to watch for the road team is Nikola Jokic. He currently has -135 odds of scoring more than 25.5 points and +105 odds of finishing with less than 25.5 points. Here is a closer look at how his numbers compare to the projected points total for this matchup. 

• On the season, Jokic is averaging 25.5 points per outing. 

• In 19 road games, he is averaging 25.3 PPG.
• Jokic has played against Eastern Conference teams 14 times this season. In those contests, he is averaging 20.8 points per outing.
• In three Tuesday night games this season, he is averaging 21.7 points per contest.
• During January, Jokic is averaging 22.7 PPG. 
• Over his last 10 outings, he is averaging 23 points per outing, exceeding the projected points total for this matchup six times during that stretch. 

Prediction: Nikola Jokic UNDER 25.5 points

The key player to watch for the home team is Joel Embiid. He currently has -130 odds of scoring more than 32.5 points and +100 odds of finishing with less than 32.5 points. Let us look to see how his numbers stack up against the projected points total for this matchup. 

• On the season, Embiid is averaging 34.9 points per outing, 
• In 19 home games, he is averaging 34.4 PPG.
• Embiid has played against Western Conference teams six times this season. In those contests, he is averaging 36.3 points per outing.
• During January, Embiid is averaging 34.0 PPG. 
• Over his last 10 outings, he is averaging 37.6 points per outing, exceeding the projected points total for this matchup eight times during that stretch. 

Based on the above trends, going with the “over” for Embiid is the better choice here.

Prediction: Joel Embiid OVER 32.5 points

James’s Denver Nuggets vs. Philadelphia 76ers Picks

• The Spread: Sixers (-3.5)
  
• Over/Under: Under 229 points
• Player Prop Bet #1: Nikola Jokic Under 25.5 points
• Player Prop Bet #2: Joel Embiid Over 32.5 points