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The NBA has just two games Thursday night for bettors to choose from. I'm most looking forward to😗 the Denver Nuggets at Golden State Warriors. The last matchup between the two teams was a Christmas Day game, which😗 the Nuggets won 120-114. This is the third meeting of the season between these two teams.
The Nuggets have the third-best😗 record in the Western Conference, while the Warriors are in the midst of a tough season and sit 11th in😗 the conference. While everyone will be watching Nikola Jokic and Stephen Curry in this game, I will be paying close😗 attention to a few other players.
Let's dive into my betting recommendations for Thursday.
Moody's favorite plays for Thursday
Trayce Jackson-Davis over 11.5😗 points + assists. Warriors coach Steve Kerr has been including Jackson-Davis more in his rotation. Jackson-Davis has played 24 or😗 more minutes in three consecutive games, and he has surpassed 11.5 combined points and assists in each of those games.😗 The Warriors are tinkering with the rotation after Draymond Green's suspension, and Jackson-Davis is taking full advantage and should remain😗 in the starting lineup. He also has a favorable matchup against Aaron Gordon.
Jamal Murray over 21.5 points and over 1.5😗 blocks + steals. Murray has exceeded this line in four of his past six games and has fared well against😗 the Warriors, averaging 20.7 field goal attempts and 29.0 points per game in his past three games against Golden State.😗 It's also worth mentioning that Jokic has averaged only 11.8 field goal attempts per game in his past six games.😗 Against a Warriors team that ranks 13th in points scored per 100 possessions, Murray will be aggressive in this matchup.😗 He is averaging 22.4 points per game on the road and has eclipsed 1.5 blocks and steals in nine of😗 his past 10 games.
Devin Vassell over 19.5 points. Vassell is coming off of a disappointing 11-point performance against the Grizzlies😗 on Tuesday, but he has scored 15 or more points in six of his seven previous games. The Bucks rank😗 21st in points allowed per 100 possessions. Also, Milwaukee struggles to defend the perimeter, which bodes well for Vassell to😗 bounce back Thursday.
Daily lines, BPI projections and injury reports
Odds provided by ESPN BET. Basketball Power Index by ESPN Analytics. Injury😗 aggregation by Rotowire.
Milwaukee Bucks at San Antonio Spurs
7:30 p.m. Frost Bank Center, San Antonio
Records (Against the Spread)
Bucks: 24-10 (15-19-0)
Spurs: 5-28😗 (12-20-1)
Line: Bucks (-9.5) Total: 247.5
Money Line: Bucks (-500), Spurs (+380)
BPI Projection: Bucks by 11.1, straight up 82%, 247.2 total points.
Injury😗 Report:
Bucks: Khris Middleton, (NA - Rest); Jae Crowder, (OUT - Groin)
Spurs: Malaki Branham, (GTD - Ankle); Zach Collins, (OUT -😗 Ankle); Charles Bassey, (OUT - Knee)
Denver Nuggets at Golden State Warriors
10 p.m. Chase Center, San Francisco
Records (Against the Spread)
Nuggets: 24-11😗 (16-18-1)
Warriors: 16-17 (15-17-1)
Line: Nuggets (-3.5) Total: 235.5
Money Line: Nuggets (-165), Warriors (+140)
BPI Projection: Warriors by 0.2, straight up 51%, 234.6😗 total points.
Injury Report:
Nuggets: Reggie Jackson, (GTD - Calf); Vlatko Cancar, (OUT - Knee)
Warriors: Draymond Green, (OUT - Suspension); Gary Payton😗 II, (OUT - Hamstring)
