The San Antonio Spurs and the Denver Nuggets were not able to settle their series in six games, and they will need a winner-take-all Game 7 at Pepsi Center this coming Saturday to determine once and for all who will advance to the second round, where the Portland Trail Blazers are waiting. The Spurs are +5,000 to win the NBA title, while the Nuggets are priced +3,000.
Betting on the San Antonio Spurs (48-34 Regular Season)
The Spurs are too proud of a franchise that they were not going to let Denver eliminate them in front of their home crowd on Thursday, forcing a Game 7 with a convincing 120-103 win. And it was mostly the veteran tandem of LaMarcus Aldridge and DeMar DeRozan who did damage on Denver in Game 6. Aldridge churned out a double-double of 26 points and 10 rebounds, while DeRozan bounced back from a relatively lackluster night in Game 6 by pounding out 25 points on 12-for-16 shooting from the field to go with seven rebounds and seven dimes. Having a tandem of tested veteran in the playoffs in Aldridge and DeRozan is definitely and edge San Antonio will be confident in counting upon in a high-pressure Game 7 on the road. Although the Spurs are playing away from home, Aldridge and DeRozan will be insulated a bit from the pressure of the moment by their experience. Another positive sign for the Spurs heading into Game 7 is their great shooting night from deep in Game 6, wherein they hit 10 3-pointers on 24 attempts. The Spurs are being outshot from downtown by Denver in the series, but finally getting their touch from behind the arc is something that’s very timely.
San Antonio is 3-2 against the spread (ATS) in its last five road games.
Betting on the Denver Nuggets (54-28 Regular Season)
The Nuggets wasted Nikola Jokic’s monster stat line in Game 6, but who’s to say he can’t do it again in Game 7? Jokic exploded for 43 points, grabbed 12 rebounds, and nearly had a triple-double with nine assists in 38 minutes of action. There was barely anything the Spurs could do to stop him, as he shot 19-for-30 from the field and made buckets from virtually every spot on the floor. Had the Nuggets had their usual stroke from behind the arc, there could have been no need for a Game 7. The Nuggets went just 6-for-24 from distance in Game 6, but that’s something that can be considered as a mere hiccup. After all, Denver is knocking down 11.0 3-pointers on 39. 1 percent shooting so far in the series. Jokic is putting up 23.5 points and pulling down 11.7 boards over the last six games. Jokic and the Nuggets destroyed San Antonio’s interior defense with 72 points in the paint in Game 6 to just 36 by San Antonio. Aldridge has never been known as a great rim protector nor an intimidating defensive presence, so expect Jokic and Paul Millsap to eat in the shaded area – a lot. One thing to watch out for Denver is the health of guard Jamal Murray, who hurt his thigh in Game 6, though, he was able to finish the game. Nevertheless, he was spotted riding a stationary bike, which wasn’t the best sign for him heading into Game 7.
