Nets vs. Nuggets Betting: Fade Struggling Nets in Denver

The Brooklyn Nets may still be the favorite to win the NBA title this season, but little is going right for the Nets at the moment. The Nets are mired in a skid that has dropped to sixth in the Eastern Conference ahead of their road tilt with Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets.

The Nets make the trip to Denver off the heels of a blowout loss at Utah on Friday night, their seventh loss in a row. With all of the parity in the East, they are still only four games out of first. But with Kevin Durant likely still sidelined for at least a few more weeks at minimum, trade rumors swirling around James Harden, and part-time player Kyrie Irving coming off of two ugly shooting performances, the Nets could do with a win right about now.

The same can be said for Denver. The Nuggets finished January with a flourish but have lost their first three February games. Friday night, they fell at home to the New Orleans Pelicans, despite reigning NBA MVP Jokic almost posting his 14th triple-double of the season.

Which team will break their losing streak in this matchup? The Nuggets are favored by a healthy margin and

Brooklyn Nets vs. Denver Nuggets Matchup Information and Betting Odds

Matchup Information

• Game Matchup: Brooklyn Nets (29-23, 6th in Eastern Conference) vs. Denver Nuggets (28-24, 6th in Western Conference)
• Venue & Location: Ball Arena (Denver, Colorado)
• Date: Sunday, February 6, 2022
• Time: 3:30 p.m. ET (1:30 p.m. local time)
• TV: NBA TV

Nets vs. Nuggets Betting Odds

• Spread: Brooklyn Nets +5.5 (-110), Denver Nuggets -5.5 (-110)
• Total: OVER 230.5 (-110), UNDER 230.5 (-110)
• Moneyline: Brooklyn Nets +180, Denver Nuggets -225

Odds are via BetMGM.

Nets Not Likely to End Seven-Game Skid Against Jokic, Nuggets

This game is the final game of a five-game road swing for the Nets, and it is safe to say that it has been a tough stretch.

It would be one thing if most of their recent losses were close, but that has not been the case. Five of their seven consecutive losses have been by double digits, including each of the last three.

Injuries are certainly not helping their cause. Harden missed Friday’s loss to the Jazz due to left hamstring tightness. And starting center Nic Claxton, who missed two weeks last month with a hamstring injury, exited early against Utah with hamstring issues.

With Harden absent, Claxton out early, and Kyrie having a tough night in Salt Lake City, the Nets were out of the contest well before the final horn. The Jazz topped the century mark in the third quarter and were up by 32 after three in their 125-102 win.

Both are listed as questionable for the Nets-Nuggets matchup, the latest injury concerns in a season full of them (not to mention the COVID issues they dealt with in December). Along with KD being out since mid-January, LaMarcus Aldridge and Joe Harris are both sidelined as well.

Still, the Nets remain atop the latest NBA title odds.

Odds to Win the 2022 NBA Finals

• Brooklyn Nets +325
• Golden State Warriors +450
• Phoenix Suns +500
• Milwaukee Bucks +700
• Philadelphia 76ers +1200
• Miami Heat +1300
• Utah Jazz +1400
• Los Angeles Lakers +1800
• Chicago Bulls +2500
• Memphis Grizzlies +2500
• Denver Nuggets +3000

Odds are via BetOnline

It remains to be seen if Harden is with the team past next Thursday’s NBA trade deadline. Recent rumors indicate that the Nets could ship Harden to the Philadelphia 76ers in a deal that would bring Ben Simmons to Brooklyn. For now, he remains with the Nets, who could certainly benefit from his availability for this game.

With so many injury concerns, rookie Kessler Edwards, a second-round pick out of Pepperdine, has logged more significant minutes than he likely would have expected. Ditto for first-round pick Cam Thomas, who had a career-high 30 against the Jazz.

The decreased depth also puts even more of a spotlight on Kyrie and his partial presence. Finding a rhythm is not easy with injuries, and it also isn’t easy when one of your best players is only available for road games. Kyrie has put up some strong numbers in a number of games, but he is only 11 of 35 in his past two games. He and the Nets can ill-afford another such subpar shooting showing.

Ultimately, even if Harden is available and Kyrie has a solid afternoon from the field, it’s tough to see the Nets leaving Denver with a win.

Having no answer for Jokic will be their undoing. After coming up two assists short of a triple-double in a 124-118 win at Barclays Center last month (25 points, 10 rebounds, eight assists), look for him to have a huge game against a dinged-up, shorthanded team and lead the Nuggets to a comfortable home win.

Nets vs. Nuggets Betting Tip: Nuggets to cover