There’s only one NBA postseason matchup scheduled for Wednesday night and it’s a Game 2 contest between the Denver Nuggets and Phoenix Suns at 9:30 p.m. EST.
The Suns lead the series 1-0 after pulling off a huge 122-105 victory in Game 1 of the series on Monday. The win was a team effort as four Phoenix players had 20 or more points, including Chris Paul. The 36-year-old point guard finished with 21 points/6 rebounds/11 assists to become the oldest player in NBA history to have a 20/5/10 game in the playoffs.
Deandre Ayton also had a double-double for the Suns (20/10/0), with Devin Booker (21) and Mikal Bridges (23) rounding out the other players on the team who toppled 20 points. Meanwhile, Nikola Jokic, the 2020-21 NBA Most Valuable Player, had a team-high 22 points in Game 1 for the Nuggets, although, he received little help from his teammates. Fortunately for him, it’s a new game tonight and Denver has a chance to redeem its previous performance.
BetOnline has released odds for tonight’s contest and the sportsbook is leaning towards the Suns to pull off the Game 2 victory at -245 odds. On the other hand, the Nuggets are the +205 underdogs. For the rest of the odds surrounding tonight’s NBA action, continue reading.
NBA Odds: Denver Nuggets (No. 3) vs Phoenix Suns (No. 2) Game 2
Odds via BetOnline as of Wednesday, June 9
- Series: PHX leads the series 1-0
- Time: 9:30 p.m. EST
- Moneyline: Nuggets (+205) vs Suns (-245)
- Point Spread: Nuggets +6.0 (-110), Suns -5.5 (-110)
- Total: 222.5 — Over (-112), Under (-108)
Suns Favored to Take 2-0 Series Lead
As mentioned earlier, the Suns are the favorites entreating tonight’s Game 2 action. One reason why they were able to take the 1-0 lead was because of their defense. The Suns have been the best defensive team in the NBA Playoffs so far, allowing a league-low 98.6 points against per game in the postseason. Their defense was on display in Game 1, as they forced the Nuggets to turn the ball over 11 times. Not only that, but those 11 turnovers led to 18 points for Phoenix. Another factor that led to the team’s victory was their ability to outscore Denver, 13-7, when it came to fast break points. Overall, it was a good balance between defense and the ability to capitalize on the Nuggets’ mistakes that led to the Suns winning.
If the Suns want to take the 2-0 series advantage, they can’t give the Nuggets any breathing room tonight. Even without Jamal Murray, Denver can still keep up with the best teams out there. That means that Ayton is going to have to absolutely smother Jokic
since he’s the straw that stirs the drink for his team. Meanwhile, the rest of the Suns need to keep playing the same defense that limited the Nuggets to 105 or fewer points for just the second time these playoffs.
NBA Odds: Nuggets Looking for the Upset
The bad news for the Nuggets is that they can’t change what happened in Game 1. The good news is that they can change how the rest of the series will play out. No matter which direction the series goes in, it’ll depend on Jokic’s performance. He was the league’s best player this season and is the reason why the Nuggets got past the Portland Trail Blazers last round. He’s averaging 26.4/10.8/8.3 in the playoffs, so his last performance was below his own standards. Look for him to bounce back tonight with a big game.
Other than that, the Nuggets just need some of their role players to tighten things up. Monte Morris was 1-for-10 from the field last game, while Austin Rivers was 2-for-7. Even if they aren’t Denver’s best players, those shooting numbers won’t contribute to postseason success. Facundo Campazzo had 4 turnovers in Game 1, which is acceptable for a star player, but not someone of his talents. He’s an important depth player, but he needs to limit the turnovers. As long as the Nuggets can improve on their ball security and shooting numbers, they should stand a chance in Game 2.
