PREMIUM
Rogers' 10* Western Conf TOP TICKET >> SIZZLING 56-29-4 L89 NBA Sides!
(NBA) Denver vs. Sacramento,
Point Spread: 7.00 | -104.00 Sacramento (Home)
Result: Win
Point Spread: 7.00 | -104.00 Sacramento (Home)
Result: Win
The set-up: The 24-33 Sacramento Kings begin life without DeMarcus Cousins when they return from the All Star break to host the 25-31 Denver Nuggets. Cousins was traded to New Orleans with the Kings getting Buddy Hield (sixth overall pick of the 2016 draft) and Tyreke Evans (played his first four NBA seasons in Sacramento), Langston Galloway and a 2017 first-round draft pick.
Denver: The Nuggets currently hold down the eighth and final Western Conference playoff spot but five teams return from the break within 3 1/2 games of Denver, including the Kings and Pelicans. Injuries have left Denver shorthanded during parts of (most of?) February but the Nuggets were on an 11-8 run heading into the break and just may be getting healthy. Leading scorer Danilo Gallinari (17.2 points, groin injury), fellow forward Kenneth Faried (ankle) and point guard Emmanuel Mudiay (back) may return after missing the final four games before the break plus forward Wilson Chandler (illness) also should be back. Faried averages 9.9 & 8.0, Mudiay 11.8-3.5-4.2 and Chandler 15.6 & 6.7. 6-10 center Jokic (16.3 & 8.9) is quickly becoming the team's MVP, as he averaged 23.4 & 14.4 in the five games prior to the break. Speaking of the All Star break, second-year player Jamal Murray (8.9) scored 236points in the Rising Stars Challenge to earn MVP honors.
Sacramento: The Kings can't replace Cousins' 27.8 points and 10.7 rebounds per game but they won't miss his NBA-leading 17 technical fouls. Rudy Gay (18.7) has been lost for the season so that means PG Darren Collison leads Sacramento in scoring (13.7 PPG) and center Kosta Koufos is its leading rebounder (5.4 RPG). Cauley-Stein (5.8 & 2.7 in about 13 MPG) figures to get a heavy share of the 34 minutes per game Cousins averaged and Sacramento GM Vlade Divac has always loved Buddy Hield saying, "His work ethic is exactly what we want here."
The pick: The Kings had won four straight before getting blasted 109-86 by the Warriors to close the first half and also own four straight wins over the Nuggets.The Nuggets are 10-18 SU on the road and now they come in at about a 'TD' favorite on the road?? I think not. Make Sacramento a 10* play.
Denver: The Nuggets currently hold down the eighth and final Western Conference playoff spot but five teams return from the break within 3 1/2 games of Denver, including the Kings and Pelicans. Injuries have left Denver shorthanded during parts of (most of?) February but the Nuggets were on an 11-8 run heading into the break and just may be getting healthy. Leading scorer Danilo Gallinari (17.2 points, groin injury), fellow forward Kenneth Faried (ankle) and point guard Emmanuel Mudiay (back) may return after missing the final four games before the break plus forward Wilson Chandler (illness) also should be back. Faried averages 9.9 & 8.0, Mudiay 11.8-3.5-4.2 and Chandler 15.6 & 6.7. 6-10 center Jokic (16.3 & 8.9) is quickly becoming the team's MVP, as he averaged 23.4 & 14.4 in the five games prior to the break. Speaking of the All Star break, second-year player Jamal Murray (8.9) scored 236points in the Rising Stars Challenge to earn MVP honors.
Sacramento: The Kings can't replace Cousins' 27.8 points and 10.7 rebounds per game but they won't miss his NBA-leading 17 technical fouls. Rudy Gay (18.7) has been lost for the season so that means PG Darren Collison leads Sacramento in scoring (13.7 PPG) and center Kosta Koufos is its leading rebounder (5.4 RPG). Cauley-Stein (5.8 & 2.7 in about 13 MPG) figures to get a heavy share of the 34 minutes per game Cousins averaged and Sacramento GM Vlade Divac has always loved Buddy Hield saying, "His work ethic is exactly what we want here."
The pick: The Kings had won four straight before getting blasted 109-86 by the Warriors to close the first half and also own four straight wins over the Nuggets.The Nuggets are 10-18 SU on the road and now they come in at about a 'TD' favorite on the road?? I think not. Make Sacramento a 10* play.
