PREMIUM
Rogers' 10* BIG TICKET SURPRISE >> 14-6-1 L21 NBA, 47-29-1 L77!
(NBA) Philadelphia vs. Denver,
Point Spread: 11.50 | 102.00 Philadelphia (Away)
Result: Win
Point Spread: 11.50 | 102.00 Philadelphia (Away)
Result: Win
The set-up: The 7-24 Philadelphia 76ers are coming off a 100-83 loss at Utah on Thursday (Embiid was held out) and will conclude their four-game road trip (0-3 so far) in Denver against the 14-18 Nuggets, who are 5-2 since suffering a 20-point loss in Dallas back on Dec. 12.
Philadelphia: Embiid is showing why he was the No. 3 overall pick in 2014 out of Kansas (after sitting out his first two seasons), leading the team with 18.7 PPG, 7.4 RPG and 2.38 BPG (that ranks fourth in the league). However, he is still working on his stamina and sat out Thursday's game against the Jazz to rest his sore right foot. That gave third-string center Nerlens Noel a chance to play extended minutes and he delivered 14 points in 22 minutes. Ersan Ilyasova led the way for Philadelphia with 16 points in Thursday's loss and Dario Saric matched Noel with 14. Philly is one of teh NBA's least productive offensive teams, averaging 98.2 PPG (27th) on 43.6 percent shooting (28th).
Denver: A return to full health and a lineup change has been two keys to Denver's recent turnaround. Guard Gary Harris missed 16 games with a foot injury but his insertion into the starting lineup is making a difference (he's scored in double digits in six of Denver's last seven games) and so has the 6-10 Nikola Jokic. In fact, Jokic may be the biggest reason for Denver resurgence, as he's shooting 67 percent since returning from a left wrist sprain Dec. 7 and he has been the Nuggets' do-everything player. Denver is averaging 113.9 points over its last seven games and boasts six players averaging double figures in scoring, including power forward Nikola Jokic (12.0), who owns six double-doubles in his past 11 contests. SFs Gallinari (16.9) and Chandler (16.4 & 7.0) are the team's best scorers, with guard Barton (14.2) close behind.
The pick: The Nuggets seem to be jelling but this is a pretty 'hefty' pointspread. The 76ers don't often win on te hed (or anywhere for that matter) but in their last visit to Denver (March 23rd of last season), they led the Nuggets by two before Emmanuel Mudiay hit an improbable shot near half-court at the buzzer, as the Nuggets walked off the floor with a 104-103 victory. I'm taking the big points and making Philly a 10* play.
Philadelphia: Embiid is showing why he was the No. 3 overall pick in 2014 out of Kansas (after sitting out his first two seasons), leading the team with 18.7 PPG, 7.4 RPG and 2.38 BPG (that ranks fourth in the league). However, he is still working on his stamina and sat out Thursday's game against the Jazz to rest his sore right foot. That gave third-string center Nerlens Noel a chance to play extended minutes and he delivered 14 points in 22 minutes. Ersan Ilyasova led the way for Philadelphia with 16 points in Thursday's loss and Dario Saric matched Noel with 14. Philly is one of teh NBA's least productive offensive teams, averaging 98.2 PPG (27th) on 43.6 percent shooting (28th).
Denver: A return to full health and a lineup change has been two keys to Denver's recent turnaround. Guard Gary Harris missed 16 games with a foot injury but his insertion into the starting lineup is making a difference (he's scored in double digits in six of Denver's last seven games) and so has the 6-10 Nikola Jokic. In fact, Jokic may be the biggest reason for Denver resurgence, as he's shooting 67 percent since returning from a left wrist sprain Dec. 7 and he has been the Nuggets' do-everything player. Denver is averaging 113.9 points over its last seven games and boasts six players averaging double figures in scoring, including power forward Nikola Jokic (12.0), who owns six double-doubles in his past 11 contests. SFs Gallinari (16.9) and Chandler (16.4 & 7.0) are the team's best scorers, with guard Barton (14.2) close behind.
The pick: The Nuggets seem to be jelling but this is a pretty 'hefty' pointspread. The 76ers don't often win on te hed (or anywhere for that matter) but in their last visit to Denver (March 23rd of last season), they led the Nuggets by two before Emmanuel Mudiay hit an improbable shot near half-court at the buzzer, as the Nuggets walked off the floor with a 104-103 victory. I'm taking the big points and making Philly a 10* play.
