Denver Nuggets vs Phoenix Suns Betting Pick & Prediction 12/25/24
At 10:30 ET, the Denver Nuggets (-140) will take on the Phoenix Suns (+119) in a Western Conference matchup. The Nuggets are favored by 2.5 points and have won two straight games. The Suns have lost three in a row and are 11th in the Western Conference.
This game will be played at the Footprint Center in Phoenix and can be seen on ABC. The over/under line for the game is 234 points.
DENVER NUGGETS VS PHOENIX SUNS BETTING PICK
The Pick: Phoenix Suns +2.5
This game will be played at Footprint Center at 10:30 ET on Wednesday, December 25th.
WHY BET THE PHOENIX SUNS:
- We have this one finishing with a projected score of 151-142 in favor of the Suns.
- Our projections have Kevin Durant finishing with 26 points, 7 rebounds and 4 assists.
- From the field, we have the Suns finishing with a field goal percentage of 46.2% and knocking down 18 threes.
Can Denver Secure a Road Victory?
Denver improved to 16-11 on the season with a dominant 117-90 win over the Suns on Monday. The Nuggets, who were favored by 4.5 points, easily covered the spread with the 27-point victory. The game’s total points of 207 fell well short of the 232.5 O/U line.
Denver took control with a 45-28 third quarter, extending their lead to 100-79 heading into the 4th. The Suns had an 11-0 run earlier, but Denver responded by holding Phoenix to just 11 points in the final quarter.
Nikola Jokić led the Nuggets to a 117-90 win over the Suns, scoring 32 points and hitting 4 threes at 66.7%. He shot 70.6% from the field and added 7 assists. Michael Porter Jr. contributed 24 points, shooting 83.3% from the floor.
Denver connected on 16 threes, shooting 39% from deep, and finished with a 51.1% overall shooting percentage. Jokić scored 13 points in the 3rd quarter, while Porter added 14 points in the 1st.
The Nuggets put on a defensive clinic against the Suns, holding them to just 90 points on 39% shooting. Denver’s defense was especially strong in the 4th quarter, where they allowed only 11 points.
From beyond the arc, the Suns hit 13 threes at a 39% clip. The Nuggets sent Phoenix to the line 15 times, where they made 11 free throws. Denver also recorded 6 steals and 4 blocks in the game.
Will the Suns Exceed Expectations at Home?
The Suns fell to 14-14 on the season after a 117-90 road loss to the Nuggets on Monday. Phoenix, who entered the game as +4.5 point underdogs, failed to cover the spread, losing by 27 points. The total points for the game were 207, well below the 232.5 O/U line.
Phoenix went on an 11-0 run to extend their lead from 43-35 to 54-35, but Denver took control after that. The Nuggets outscored the Suns 45-28 in the 3rd quarter and held them to just 11 points in the 4th.
In their 117-90 loss to the Nuggets, the Suns shot just 39.8% from the field, though they connected on 39.4% of their three-pointers, hitting 13 from deep. Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal each scored 23 points, with Beal knocking down 5 threes at a 71.4% clip.
Durant shot 53.3% overall and added 9 rebounds, while Beal scored 13 of his points in the 3rd quarter. Tyus Jones was the only other Sun to score more than 8 points, finishing with 9 on 50% shooting.
The Suns struggled defensively in the 3rd quarter, giving up 45 points, which contributed to their 117-90 loss to the Nuggets. Phoenix allowed Denver to shoot 51% from the field, including 39% from beyond the arc, where the Nuggets hit 16 threes.
Despite the defensive issues, the Suns limited the Nuggets to just 11 free throw attempts, of which they made 9. Phoenix recorded 30 defensive rebounds but allowed 11 offensive boards. They also finished with 6 steals and 5 blocks.