Suns vs. Nuggets 3/24 NBA Betting Preview & Prediction

The final stretch of the 2021-22 NBA season continues Thursday, March 24 with a fairly noteworthy Western Conference matchup. A 9 p.m. EST matchup on NBA TV will see the league-leading Phoenix Suns pay a visit to the always-challenging Denver Nuggets.

The Suns enter tonight’s contest following a 125-116 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday. While the lack of rest may hurt some teams, the Suns are 9-3 so far this season in games where they’ve had no rest. Only time will tell if they can continue that trend against their opponents.

Meanwhile, the Nuggets last played on Tuesday when they defeated the LA Clippers, 127-115. Denver still has time to improve its playoff seeding in the closing weeks of the campaign, meaning a win against Phoenix is necessary to help achieve that goal.

Will the Suns continue their success in back-to-back games tonight? Or will the Nuggets be able to hold off the NBA’s top team?

Phoenix Suns vs. Denver Nuggets Matchup Info and Betting Odds

Matchup Info

• Game Matchup: Phoenix Suns (59-14, 1st in Western Conference) vs. Denver Nuggets (43-30, 6th in Western Conference)
• Venue & Location: Ball Arena (Denver, Colorado)
• Date: Thursday, March 24, 2022
• Time: 9 p.m. ET
• TV: NBA TV

Nets vs. Grizzlies Betting Odds

• Spread: Phoenix Suns +3.5 (-110), Denver Nuggets -3.5 (-110)
• Total: OVER 231.5 (-110), UNDER 231.5 (-110)
• Moneyline: Phoenix Suns +135, Denver Nuggets -160

Odds are via BetMGM.

Can Suns Continue Back-to-Back Success?

It goes without saying that the Suns have been viewed as the NBA Championship favorite throughout the season. The fact that they are as good as they are playing without any rest further illustrates that point.

The Suns’ .750 winning percentage on no rest is the best among all 30 NBA teams. They average 111.7 points per game (PPG) in the second of their back-to-back games (T-No. 7), which isn’t too far below their season average of 115.0 (No. 3).

Devin Booker has easily been Phoenix’s best player when the situation arises. He’s played nine games without any rest this season, averaging 30.7 points, 3.6 rebounds and 4.8 assists while shooting .474/.412/.912 splits.

He dropped 36 points in his last game without rest on March 16, so it wouldn’t be unfathomable for him to do it again. At the same time, Booker is only averaging 14.5 PPG in two games against the Nuggets this season, so expectations may need to be lowered if you’re considering him for player prop bets.

Another player worth keeping an eye out for is Deandre Ayton. Although he’s one of the league’s better centers, he’s only averaging 18.0 points and 7.0 rebounds in two games against Denver this season. The lack of success can be attributed to him matching up against Nikola Jokic, so it’s entirely possible that trend continues tonight.

In terms of betting trends, the Suns have been consistent as of late. They’re 6-0 straight up in their last six road games while also going 4-1 against the spread (ATS) in their last five road games against the Nuggets.

Phoenix has also been involved in some high-scoring affairs lately, with the total hitting the over in six of their last seven games. It’s also hit the over in each of their last five matchups against Western Conference teams, which only shows that tonight’s game could wind up being a shootout of sorts.

Nuggets Look to Build Win Streak

Before this week’s win against the Clippers, the Nuggets had lost four of their previous six games. With that skid being in the rearview mirror, they’ll look to build off Tuesday’s victory with another one against the Suns.

To no one’s surprise, Jokic was a big reason why the Nuggets defeated the Clippers a few nights ago. The NBA MVP candidate finished the night with a 30-point, 14-rebound double-double while shooting .600 from the field and .923 from the free-throw line.

Jokic is now averaging 30.1 PTS/12.5 REB/8.1 AST over his last 10 games and is playing as a man possessed. He had 27 points and 13 boards in his only game against Phoenix this season, so all eyes will be on last season’s MVP to see if he can find more success in the Suns’ paint.

Another way that the Nuggets can duplicate Tuesday’s success is if their starters step up once again. Each of the five players in their starting rotation against the Clippers finished with double-digit point totals.

Jeff Green and Aaron Gordon each had 16 points apiece while Monte Morris had 15 and Will Barton wasn’t much further behind with 10. The quartet shot 21-for-42 (.500) from the field, which is exactly the type of play Denver needs to beat the Suns.

The Nuggets have also been involved in high-scoring affairs lately, with the total hitting the over in five of their last six games. They’ve allowed at least 115 points in four of those contests — three of which ended up being losses for Denver.

Despite being the favorite, the Nuggets are also 2-4 ATS in their last six home contests and 3-6 ATS in their last nine games overall. Although they have the tools to beat the Suns, it appears as if victory is far from guaranteed.

Phoenix Suns vs Denver Nuggets Prediction and Best Bets

Phoenix Suns 118, Denver Nuggets 110 (Suns +135)

Although the Nuggets are a solid team in their own right, there’s a reason why the Suns are the NBA’s best team this season. Even when playing on no rest, Phoenix continues to find a way to defeat even the best opponents.

Going with the Suns as the +135 money line underdog is the best bet here. The Nuggets have been playing too inconsistently to fully trust lately and even though Jokic is an MVP candidate, Phoenix’s well-rounded roster has a knack for getting things done, regardless of the situation.