What’s up with the Denver Nuggets?
The Denver Nuggets (4-3) currently sit in the seventh spot of the Western Conference standings, alongside five other teams who have the same win-loss record. In their previous outing, it was kind of embarrassing to give the slumping Los Angeles Lakers their first win of the season.
There were about seven deadlocks and five lead changes against LA but the game was tight until the end. Denver was restricted to only 43 percent from the field and 43 percent from the 3-point range while the Lakers shot 48 percent and surprisingly a higher 3-point percentage at 43 percent.
Despite reigning MVP Nikola Jokic collecting 23 points and the now-healthy Jamal Murray amassing 21 points in that loss, there was one thing missing for the Nuggets: their defense. A lot of critics have been doubting the Nuggets’ future success this season because they’ve been struggling to lock up opposing teams. They’re 13th in defensive efficiency but we all know they should be more defensive-minded, especially if they have to go against a team full of energetic players who can pass the ball around like the Oklahoma City Thunder.
What’s up with the Oklahoma City Thunder?
The rebuilding Thunder team was expected to be one of the worst teams in the league this season but they continue to surprise us. They’re entering the matchup with the Nuggets on a four-game winning streak, including victories against the Los Angeles Clippers and the Dallas Mavericks.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has been OKC’s leader, averaging a whopping 31.5 points, 4.8 rebounds, 6.8 assists, and 2.5 steals per game. Other than SGA, Lu Dort and Aleksej Pokusevski have also been magnificent for Thunder as they put up 14 and 16 points, respectively, in their win against the Orlando Magic.
Prediction
The Nuggets already showed OKC what they’re made of on October 22, and it’s a big factor that they would want to be bouncing back from the loss to the Lakers. Denver also had more time to rest compared to the Thunder so fresher legs could also help them seal this one.
However, the Thunder are coming in hot and confident with a four-game winning streak and the Nuggets have two men down as Bones Hyland and Ish Smith are questionable due to injuries. We’re not 100 percent sure who will get the win but we are certain it’s going to be a close one between the two teams.
Where to watch
You can catch the Oklahoma-Denver game tomorrow live at 8:00 AM on NBA TV Philippines, available on Smart GigaPlay and Cignal TV.
