Phoenix Suns at Denver Nuggets Betting Preview

Opening Line: Suns +7 / Nuggets -7 O/U 223

Time: 10:30 PM EST Wednesday February 3, 2010 on ESPN

Tonight in Mile High City in a match up of 2 teams playing well the Denver Nuggets host the Phoenix Suns. Denver is coming off a win, is an impressive 9-1 in their last 10 games, and has a 3.5 game lead over the Utah Jazz in the Northwest Division. The Suns are only 5-5 in their last 10 games and trail the L.A. Lakers by 8.5 games in the Pacific Division, but have won 3 in a row including their last 2 on the road.

This season the Nuggets are 22-3 at home and 22-24-1 ATS and the Suns are 11-15 on the road and 24-24-1 ATS.

In their last games the Nuggets beat the Sacramento Kings 112-109 in OT on Monday night and also on Monday the Suns beat the New Orleans Hornets 109-100.

The Nuggets will get back All Star Carmelo Anthony (29.7 ppg) back tonight, but even without him in the lineup they have won 3 straight. They will need Melo in the upcoming few games, as before the All Star break Denver plays the top 5 teams in the Western Conference.

The Nuggets have won 9 straight games at home.

This is a match up of 2 teams that can flat out score, as the Suns rank 1st in scoring (110 ppg) and the Nuggets rank 3rd (107 ppg).

The reason the Suns have won 3 in a row is their defense. OK, so in the streak they are still giving up an average of 105.7 ppg on 43.9% shooting, but in their previous 7 games they were giving up an average of 114.3 ppg on almost 50% shooting.

The Suns hope that Steve Nash's (18.3 ppg 11.1 assists per game) abdominal strain does not hamper him, as they will need him tonight.

Neither team is good on the boards, as both have a rebounding differential in the negative. Amare Stoudemire (8.4 rpg) and Kenyon Martin (9.3 rpg) have to rebound well tonight and the team that can win the battle of the boards has a great chance to win this game.

The Nuggets can get out and run with the best of them, but the Suns are the best run and gun team in the league, so if this is a high tempo game Phoenix may have the advantage.

Phoenix is 4-0 ATS in their last 4 games teams with a winning percentage above 60%, 7-3 ATS in their last 10 games against teams with a winning record, and has an Over record of 4-1 in their last 5 road games.

Denver is 2-5-1 ATS in their last 8 home games against teams with a losing road record, 5-2-1 ATS in their last 8 games against teams with a winning record, and has an Over record of 5-1 in their last 6 home games.

The Suns are 1-5 ATS in their last 6 games in Denver and the total has gone Over in 4 of the last 5 games between these 2 teams in Denver.

Our Selection : Nuggets are 22-3 at home this year and the home team has won the last 10 in this series, so many will make an arguement for taking Denver. We won't be one of those. The Suns have been hot of late winning their last 3 including the first two games on this road trip as point spread underdogs. Toss in the fact that the last 3 in this match-up have been decided by 6 or less. Take Phoenix +7


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NBA Handicapping

Dallas Mavericks at Miami Heat Odds 6-12
The Mavs are up 3-2 in this series heading to South Beach and for the Heat to force Game 7 they will have to play better in the 4th quarter, especially LeBron James. 5Dimes has the hometown Heat as 5-point favorites in Game 6 with a total of 187.

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