NBA fans across the country have been looking forward to tonight’s slate for quite some time. With two of the league’s brightest stars, Nikola Jokic and Joel Embiid, facing off for the first time this season, all eyes will be on TNT at 7:30 p.m. ET for Nuggets vs. 76ers.
We’re looking at Nuggets vs. 76ers odds and props before making a betting prediction on this potential NBA Finals showdown.
Denver sits third in the Western Conference at 28-13 (18-22-1 ATS). They’ve won two games in a row, but are only 5-3 in their last eight games. The defending NBA champions have shown signs of coming into form lately, holding powerful offenses in New Orleans and Indiana to substandard performances.
Meanwhile, Philadelphia (25-13, 25-13 ATS) is happy to have Embiid back in the lineup after he missed four games before New Year’s Day. Since returning, the 76ers have gone only 3-3. The Sixers beat Houston 124-115 on Monday afternoon.
With both teams relatively healthy and motivated to perform against a top foe, we expect great play from two of the league’s top MVP candidates.
Nuggets vs. 76ers odds: Point spread, moneyline, and total for NBA Tuesday night action
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76ers betting news
The 76ers have played remarkably well for a team that traded star guard James Harden for a bevy of role players and draft picks earlier this season. First-year head coach Nick Nurse has been a great fit for this roster, ranked sixth in offensive points per game and eighth in defense. Only the Thunder have a better record against the spread, which indicates how well they’ve performed compared to expectations.
Considering that Embiid has missed 10 games already this season, and the Sixers can’t complain about too much. Embiid’s MVP odds are only , likely due to his absences.
Losing Harden opened the door for Tyrese Maxey to become more of a playmaker, and he hasn’t disappointed. But the team’s depth without Embiid in the lineup becomes more of an issue, as most star-driven teams have experienced.
Outside of PF Robert Covington (out, knee) and SG De’Anthony Melton (out, back), the 76ers enter this matchup quite healthy. Embiid doesn’t usually play in back-to-backs, but the new NBA rule against resting stars on primetime games means he’ll play.
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Nuggets betting news
The Nuggets listed their entire starting five as questionable for this matchup, but none have missed a game yet in 2024. Considering Denver had Monday off and doesn’t play again until Friday night, this looks more like Denver poking fun at Embiid’s oft-injured status.
Regardless of intentions, the Nuggets must be taken seriously. Their output on both sides of the ball is almost identical to last season’s. The defending NBA champions boast six players averaging at least 10.2 points per game and another five earning at least 13 minutes each night.
With eight rotation members averaging at least 35% shooting from deep, the Nuggets remain among the toughest matchups in the NBA. We can’t forget that Jokic is the MVP favorite at . He’s averaging a cool 25.5 points, 11.8 rebounds, and 9.3 assists per game and has missed only one contest this season.
Nuggets vs. 76ers player props
Check out the best Nuggets vs. 76ers player prop odds at top sports betting apps.
Nuggets vs. 76ers player scoring props
Nikola Jokic prop bets vs. Sixers
- 11.5 rebounds OVER (+106) / UNDER (-120)
- 9.5 assists OVER (+110) / UNDER (-110)
- 25.5 points OVER (-113) / (UNDER (-110)
Joel Embiid prop bets tonight
- 11.5 rebounds OVER (+106) / UNDER (-110)
- 32.5 points OVER (-115) / UNDER (-105)
- 4.5 assists OVER (-140) / UNDER (-+110)
Nuggets vs. 76ers SGP featuring Embiid and Jokic (FanDuel)
- Nikola Jokic OVER 25 points
- Nikola Jokic OVER 10 assists
- Joel Embiid OVER 30 points
- Joel Embiid OVER 12 rebounds
- SGP odds: +693
Nuggets vs. 76ers Jokic triple-double SGP (Caesars)
- Nikola Jokic triple-double
- Nuggets win
- OVER 228.5 total
- SGP odds: +425
Nuggets vs. 76ers prediction: Embiid outproduces Jokic once again
Embiid and the 76ers have posted a 5-2 record against the Nuggets since 2016, but the two have only squared off twice since Dec. 2019. With a 1-1 series split since then, tonight is a recent-series tiebreaker for the majestic seven-footers.
There’s been only one blowout win between Embiid’s Sixers and Jokic’s Nuggets, which came in 2018. Expect a close final score. We can also expect Embiid to put up huge numbers.
Embiid won the MVP award last year, largely thanks to his incredibly 47-point, 18-rebound explosion against the Nuggets. Throughout their seven head-to-head matchups, Embiid averages almost four points, three rebounds, and one full block per game more than Jokic.
It’s clear Embiid takes this matchup as seriously as any, and that drive will be what pushed the 76ers to a cover.
Prediction: 76ers