Nikola Jokic is on a funk right now. The Serbian center is in the midst of a breakout season, averaging 15.6 points and 8.9 rebounds per game, but has seen his offensive number regress of late. He’s scored just 16 points in his past three games, including a 10-point output in a 105-98 home loss to Memphis on Sunday. Denver is 1-3 SU in its last four games.
Jokic, however, managed to contribute in other departments in the Grizzlies game, snatching 11 rebounds and dishing out six dimes. He’ll look to get his scoring touch again against the Bulls, who may not want to engage the Nuggets in a three-point shootout. The Nuggets’ lineup is littered with snipers and they are seventh in the league in three-pointers with 10.4 made per game. In contrast, the Bulls are last with just 6.7. Denver went 10-for-22 from deep in the 110-107 win at home over Chicago back in Nov. 22.
The Nuggets’ bench is expected to play a crucial role versus the Bulls. The team’s reserves are third in the league with 44.5 PPG, while Chicago’s bench guys put up 33.5 PPG. Denver’s second stringers massively outscored their Chicago counterparts in the first meeting, 61-13.
Denver is 2-0 ATS in its last two trips to Windy City.
Dwyane Wade didn’t get his triple-double in the 117-99 road win over Cleveland on Saturday, but any time his team beats a legitimate title contender, that’d be just fine.
Wade collected 20 points, 10 assists, and 9 rebounds in the victory to help Chicago take home its fourth-straight win. It was Jimmy Butler who got the trip-dub, though, against the Cavs, stuffing the stat sheet with 18 points, 10 boards, and 10 assists.
Chicago is enjoying some sort of scoring surge. The Bulls are just 23rd in the league this season with 102.8 PPG but has managed to light up scoreboards of late, floating 113.5 PPG on 47.9 field goal shooting percentage. The Bulls could continue that trend tonight against Denver, which doesn’t really give much effort on defense. The Nuggets are 28th in the league in scoring defense, allowing 111.7 PPG.
Wade and Butler know that too well, as they dropped 22 and 32 points, respectively, in the previous meeting with Denver.
