Denver (38-17) at Oklahoma City (33-22)
When: Friday, February 21st, 2020
Where: Chesapeake Energy Arena,
Oklahoma City, OK
Time: 8:05 ET | TV: ESPN
Opening Odds: Pickem/215
Two Western Conference teams looking to improve their playoff positioning will begin their second halves on Friday night as the Denver Nuggets visit the Oklahoma City Thunder on ESPN. This is also a Northwest Division matchup and the Nuggets are the only team in the NBA that has not lost in its own division (9-0) this season. Denver sits in second place in the West, four games back of the Los Angeles Lakers, who the Nuggets lost to prior to the All-Star Break. Still, Denver is 7-3 straight up and against the spread (ATS) over its last 10 games. They have also been dominant versus Oklahoma City in recent years, going 9-1 SU and a perfect 10-0 ATS in the past 10 encounters including earlier this season when it won 110-102 as a 5.5-point home favorite back in December. The Nuggets are averaging 119.3 points per 100 possessions over their last seven games and the Over is 6-1 during that span. Oklahoma City is the best spread team in the NBA, going 36-19 ATS and 33-22 SU despite losing Russell Westbrook and Paul George in the offseason. However, the bulk of the ATS success comes away from home where the Thunder are 21-5 against the number as opposed to 15-14 ATS at home. The Thunder are currently in the No. 6 spot in the West, tied with the Dallas Mavericks.
Nikola Jokic had a slow start to the season for the Nuggets, but has been putting up MVP-type numbers lately – 24.7 points, 11.3 rebounds and 8.3 assists over his last 15 games. He’s getting plenty of help from guard Jamal Murray, who is shooting a sizzling 46.2 percent from 3-point range on more than seven attempts per game in February. Denver has been battling injuries all season and hope that swingman Will Barton (knee), forward Michael Porter Jr. (ankle) and big man Mason Plumlee (foot) will be available for Friday’s game. Porter and Plumlee are probable, while Barton is doubtful after missing the past four games. The Nuggets will host the reeling Minnesota Timberwolves on Sunday.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who was acquired in the offseason in the Paul George trade with the Clippers, leads the Thunder in scoring at nearly 20 points per contest. Fellow guards Dennis Schroder (19.3) and Chris Paul (17.4 points, team-leading 6.7 assists) are right behind them as the Thunder continue to get balanced scoring. OKC snapped a two-game skid prior to the All-Star Break with a 123-118 road win at New Orleans as 3.5-point underdogs. The Thunder will host the San Antonio Spurs on Sunday.
Denver is starting to get healthy and could make a run at the Lakers in the second half. The Thunder have all kinds of problems when playing this Nuggets team and really don’t have much of a homecourt advantage this season. I’ll stick with the trend in this series.
Check out who Bobby Babowski has on his Free NBA Picks page for Friday. He is 60-51-3 on the season!
Pick: Nuggets +1
Nuggets are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 games following a ATS loss.
Nuggets are 9-1-2 ATS in their last 12 games following a straight up loss.
Nuggets are 6-1 ATS in their last 7 when their opponent scores 100 points or more in their previous game.
Nuggets are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games overall.
Nuggets are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.
Nuggets are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games vs. a team with a winning straight up record.
Nuggets are 5-2 ATS in their last 7 when their opponent allows 100 points or more in their previous game.
Nuggets are 5-2 ATS in their last 7 games as a road underdog.
Nuggets are 2-5 ATS in their last 7 Friday games.
Thunder are 8-2 ATS in their last 10 Friday games.
Thunder are 19-7 ATS in their last 26 after allowing 100 points or more in their previous game.
Thunder are 20-8 ATS in their last 28 games overall.
Thunder are 17-7 ATS in their last 24 games following a straight up win.
Thunder are 12-5 ATS in their last 17 games following a ATS win.
Thunder are 7-3 ATS in their last 10 home games vs. a team with a winning road record.
Thunder are 7-3 ATS in their last 10 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.
Thunder are 27-12 ATS in their last 39 when their opponent allows 100 points or more in their previous game.
Thunder are 9-4 ATS in their last 13 when their opponent scores 100 points or more in their previous game.
Thunder are 15-7 ATS in their last 22 after scoring 100 points or more in their previous game.
Thunder are 2-6 ATS in their last 8 games as a home favorite.
Thunder are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games playing on 3 or more days rest.
Thunder are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 home games.
Over is 5-0 in Nuggets last 5 after allowing 100 points or more in their previous game.
Over is 6-1 in Nuggets last 7 overall.
Under is 6-1 in Nuggets last 7 games as a road underdog.
Under is 6-1 in Nuggets last 7 Friday games.
Over is 5-1 in Nuggets last 6 when their opponent allows 100 points or more in their previous game.
Over is 5-1 in Nuggets last 6 when their opponent scores 100 points or more in their previous game.
Over is 5-1 in Nuggets last 6 after scoring 100 points or more in their previous game.
Under is 4-1 in Nuggets last 5 games following a straight up loss.
Under is 6-2 in Nuggets last 8 games as an underdog.
Under is 7-3 in Nuggets last 10 games playing on 3 or more days rest.
Under is 9-4 in Nuggets last 13 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.
Under is 4-0-1 in Thunder last 5 games following a ATS win.
Under is 5-1 in Thunder last 6 games following a straight up win.
Over is 12-3-1 in Thunder last 16 games as a favorite.
Over is 4-1 in Thunder last 5 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.
Over is 9-3-1 in Thunder last 13 games as a home favorite.
Under is 3-1-1 in Thunder last 5 home games.
Under is 5-2-1 in Thunder last 8 after scoring 100 points or more in their previous game.
Over is 7-3 in Thunder last 10 home games vs. a team with a winning road record.
Under is 35-16 in Thunder last 51 games playing on 3 or more days rest.
Nuggets are 10-1 ATS in the last 11 meetings.
Nuggets are 5-0 ATS in the last 5 meetings in Oklahoma City.
