PREMIUM
Rogers' 10* TNT DYNO-MITE >> Lakers Last Week!
(NBA) Oklahoma City vs. Denver,
Point Spread: -1.00 | -103.00 Oklahoma City (Away)
Result: Loss
Point Spread: -1.00 | -103.00 Oklahoma City (Away)
Result: Loss
The set-up: The Denver Nuggets have two more games to go on the team's current six-game homestand, including tonight's contest against OKC. "We set this goal to go 6-0," center Nikola Jokic said. "We're not going to do that (Nuggets are 3-1), but we have two games,left so we're going to try to do our best to achieve something." The now 6-5 Nuggets welcome the Thunder to Pepsi Center tonight and just might be catching OKC at the right time. Oklahoma City has struggled in trying to fit forwards Paul George and Carmelo Anthony around Westbrook, the reigning MVP. All three are averaging 20.1 points but inconsistency has been an issue, especially against Western Conference teams, as the Thunder are 0-5 against Wes opponents.
Oklahoma City: The Thunder are coming off a 94-86 loss to the lowly Sacramento Kings on Tuesday and afterward Westbrook vowed the Thunder would be better. "I take ownership of how we're playing, and I will be better," he said after the loss to the Kings. "We will be better, so I'm not worried." OKC insists that the team is just going through some growing pains as its superstars and supporting staff learn to play alongside each other. However, in the loss to the Kings, the team shot 33.7 percent from the floor with Carmelo Anthony, Paul George and Russell Westbrook combining to go 15-of-54. "We have a whole year to figure it out," George told reporters. "We can't really rush into this. It's something that step-by-step, day-by-day, at this point game-by-game we have to slowly get on the same page. It sucks to drop games like this. We look back down the road in March and April, we'll be pretty sick about it, but this isn't when we want to play our best basketball."
Denver: Meanwhile, the Nuggets are starting to come together. They have won five of their last seven games and center Nikola Jokic broke out for a career-high 41 points in a 112-104 win over the Brooklyn Nets on Tuesday. after managing just eight points in a loss to the Golden State Warriors on Saturday. Jokic is averaging 17.9 points on 53.5 percent shooting, while adding 11.6 rebounds and 4.5 assists. "The guy can do it all," Denver coach Michael Malone told reporters. "It was one of those nights for him, We needed it. ... He is ultra-skilled. Obviously, the way he's been shooting the ball from 3-point range this year has been magnificent. I'm going to stop saying he's a (heck) of a young player. I don't care how old he is. Nikola Jokic is one of the best players in the NBA." Joining Jokic are free agent PF Millsap (15.4 & 6.3) plus four guards (Barton, Harris, Mudiay and Murray) who are all scoring between 11.5 and 14.3 PPG.
The pick: The Thunder may be 0-5 vs. the West so far but they have won five straight at Pepsi Center, dating back to Feb. 9, 2015. It is also a homecoming for Anthony, who played his first 7 1/2 seasons in Denver before being traded to the New York Knicks. Sure, he's been back as a Knick, but now he's playing for a division rival that needs to make a statement. Make OKC a 10* play.
Oklahoma City: The Thunder are coming off a 94-86 loss to the lowly Sacramento Kings on Tuesday and afterward Westbrook vowed the Thunder would be better. "I take ownership of how we're playing, and I will be better," he said after the loss to the Kings. "We will be better, so I'm not worried." OKC insists that the team is just going through some growing pains as its superstars and supporting staff learn to play alongside each other. However, in the loss to the Kings, the team shot 33.7 percent from the floor with Carmelo Anthony, Paul George and Russell Westbrook combining to go 15-of-54. "We have a whole year to figure it out," George told reporters. "We can't really rush into this. It's something that step-by-step, day-by-day, at this point game-by-game we have to slowly get on the same page. It sucks to drop games like this. We look back down the road in March and April, we'll be pretty sick about it, but this isn't when we want to play our best basketball."
Denver: Meanwhile, the Nuggets are starting to come together. They have won five of their last seven games and center Nikola Jokic broke out for a career-high 41 points in a 112-104 win over the Brooklyn Nets on Tuesday. after managing just eight points in a loss to the Golden State Warriors on Saturday. Jokic is averaging 17.9 points on 53.5 percent shooting, while adding 11.6 rebounds and 4.5 assists. "The guy can do it all," Denver coach Michael Malone told reporters. "It was one of those nights for him, We needed it. ... He is ultra-skilled. Obviously, the way he's been shooting the ball from 3-point range this year has been magnificent. I'm going to stop saying he's a (heck) of a young player. I don't care how old he is. Nikola Jokic is one of the best players in the NBA." Joining Jokic are free agent PF Millsap (15.4 & 6.3) plus four guards (Barton, Harris, Mudiay and Murray) who are all scoring between 11.5 and 14.3 PPG.
The pick: The Thunder may be 0-5 vs. the West so far but they have won five straight at Pepsi Center, dating back to Feb. 9, 2015. It is also a homecoming for Anthony, who played his first 7 1/2 seasons in Denver before being traded to the New York Knicks. Sure, he's been back as a Knick, but now he's playing for a division rival that needs to make a statement. Make OKC a 10* play.
