The Denver Nuggets were not about to let the San Antonio Spurs get a 3-1 lead in the series, and they will be heading back to Pepsi Center on the heels of a big win that tied the series all up. Will the Nuggets get the series lead for the first time in the first round? Or will the Spurs push Denver to the brink of elimination? Read on for more about Game 5. You can also see the latest odds and prices for NBA Playoffs series here.
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Betting Preview for San Antonio Spurs vs. Denver Nuggets NBA Playoff Round 1 Game 5 on April 23, 2019
Where: Pepsi Center, Denver
When: Tuesday, April 23, 2019, 9:30 PM ET
Line: San Antonio Spurs (+5.5) vs. Denver Nuggets (–5.5) – view all NBA lines
TV Broadcast: NBATV
Betting on the San Antonio Spurs (48-24 Regular Season)
The Spurs simply didn’t have enough offensive firepower to keep in step with Denver in Game 4, as they picked up a 117-103 home loss to let the Nuggets even the series up. Nevertheless, there were some encouraging signs for the Spurs heading into Game 5. One of those is LaMarcus Aldridge’s continuing brilliance. Aldridge scored 24 points in Game 4 on 10-for-18 shooting from the field with nine rebounds and two steals. DeMar DeRozan, meanwhile, had 19 points, five rebounds, and five assists. He’s also starting to be consistent in his field goal shooting after inefficient offensive nights in the first two games of the series. Missing, however, for the Spurs in Game 4 was Derrick White, who, after sending shockwaves across the playoffs by scoring 36 points in Game 3, put up just eight points in 28 minutes of work in Game 4. While the Spurs dominated Denver again in the paint with 20 more points in the paint in Game 4 (60-40), they will have to complement that kind of mastery of the shaded area with some outside sniping. The Spurs went just 5-for-17 from deep on Saturday, while the Nuggets went berserk with 15 treys.
The Spurs are 3-1 against the spread (ATS) in their last four road games.
Betting on the Denver Nuggets (54-28 Regular Season)
The Nuggets played fast again in Game 4, and their intention of pushing the pace paid dividends. While that was not evident in their small 15-12 fastbreak points advantage, it was in the 10 field goal shots difference (89-79) in Denver’s favor. The Nuggets tied to go for broke from deep, didn’t hesitate from taking 3-point shots, and drained three times more than that Spurs’ total triples in the game – a tactic they might as well try again in Game 5. Denver has been fantastic in its outside shooting so far in the series, knocking down 11.5 treys on 41.1 percent shooting. The Nuggets are also enjoying a bonus production from Torrey Craig, who averaged just 5.7 points per game in the regular season but had already scored 30 in the last two games, including 18 in Game 4 on the strength of a 5-for-7 shooting from downtown. Meanwhile, Nikola Jokic negated Aldridge’s production by coming up with 29 points on 10-for-22 shooting with 12 rebounds and eight assists.
The under is 7-3 in the Nuggets’ last 10 home games.
Writer’s Prediction
Denver wins, 119-114.
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