Both the Denver Nuggets and Toronto Raptors enter their Tuesday night showdown on three-game losing streaks. One of them will finally get back in the win column. But which squad will it be?
Linemakers, not surprisingly, believe it'll be the Nuggets. To that end, here are the latest NBA online betting odds for Toronto vs. Denver:
Remember to double-check these online NBA betting odds right up until you submit your wager. Our Nuggets vs. Raptors betting odds are accurate as of games played on Monday, March 13. That gives linemakers plenty of time to implement adjustments prior to tip-off on Tuesday, March 14, at 7:30 p.m. EST.
However, you needn't sweat any changes to NBA betting odds if you link up with the right lines provider. That's why we cobbled together our reviews of the top online sportsbooks. They can help give you insight into the best online NBA betting sites in 2023.
So, are the Nuggets locks to beat the Raptors? Or does the recent decline in their odds to win the 2023 NBA Finals suggest they're a team on the decline? Let's find out.
Is It Time to be Concerned About the Denver Nuggets?
While the Nuggets continue to have a firm hold on first place in the Western Conference, their three-game losing streak has many showing concern. Jamal Murray has not looked right and left midway through their last loss with a left knee injury. Aaron Gordon has struggled to make jumpers. Bruce Brown, Reggie Jackson and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope are all going through shooting slumps. And worst of all, the defense is allowing 1.24 points per possession—the second-worst mark in the league during this stretch.
This is raising some eyebrows not just because people have doubted Denver's defense all along, but because the Nuggets are embarking on a five-game road trip. Though the have held their own away from Ball Arena all year, they're not exactly dominant. Four of these five games also just so happen to come against Eastern Conference playoff hopefuls.
Still, we're not especially worried. It won't be ideal if Murray misses some time, but Michael Porter Jr. is playing well enough to offset any scoring the Nuggets might lose. There's also no defending a Nikola Jokic-led offense during the regular season. The Nuggets have more than enough on that end to stay afloat.
Denver's defense is a different story. They have largely held it together by limiting their fouls and grabbing a ton of rebounds. All the while, offenses have actually shot a lower than expected clip from beyond the arc. This suggests that there might be a little luck involved.
Fortunately for the Nuggets, the Raptors offense is not much of a material threat. The acquisition of Jakob Poeltl at the trade deadline has given them a real weapon out of the screen and roll, but Toronto continues to want for pull-up jump shooting and outside accuracy. To be sure, the Raptors shouldn't be taken lightly. They gave the Nuggets a fit in Denver just last week by exploiting their weaknesses around the basket. But Jokic and company eventually pulled away on the back of their offense and a defense that has fared quite well in fourth quarters. We expect them to do the same on Tuesday.
OSB Prediction: Denver Nuggets (-135)
Toronto Raptors Point Spread Illustrates Mounting Distrust of the Nuggets
Here are the latest NBA point spread betting odds for Nuggets vs. Raptors on Tuesday night:
- Denver Nuggets, -1.5 (-110)
- Toronto Raptors, +1.5 (-110)
This point spread is too microscopic for us to endorse on behalf of the Raptors. They must lose the game by one point or actually win to cover. And we certainly don't think they're going to win, even though they're playing at home. Some sportsbooks aren't even offering it. This game opened as a pick 'em.
Nuggets bettors would do well to invest in Denver's point spread if it remains the same. The payout is noticeably better than their moneyline, and only a small percentage of NBA games are ever decided by fewer than two points.
OSB Prediction: Denver Nuggets, -1.5 (-110)
Denver vs. Toronto is a Ridiculously Tough Stylistic Matchup
Below you can see the latest NBA over/under betting odds for Raptors vs. Nuggets:
- Over 225.5 (-111)
- Under 225.5 (-111)
Toronto has been an iffy "over" bet basically all season. And there's a chance the Nuggets will be without Jamal Murray, depending on the severity of his left knee injury. This seems to imply the "under" is the safer wager.
We're going with the Nuggets vs. Raptors over anyway.
Denver's defense has been flimsier in recent weeks. They should be able to limit Toronto's second-chance opportunities, but they most likely won't have an answer for them in transition. The Raptors also like to attack the rim, and the Nuggets are among the worst teams in the league at protecting it.
The last time these two teams squared off, they totaled 231 points. Second meetings often result in lower point totals, but with Denver routinely clearing 125 points per game and Jokic showing more aggression as a scorer, we think this one creeps back above the 230-point threshold yet again.
OSB Prediction: Over 225.5 (-111)
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