Nuggets vs. 76ers Prediction, Odds and Best NBA Prop Bets for Friday, Jan. 31

For the second – and final – time this season, the Denver Nuggets and Nikola Jokic take on the Philadelphia 76ers.

The Sixers once again won’t have Joel Embiid (knee) and Paul George (finger) in this matchup, leaving Tyrese Maxey in a tough spot to lead his team to a win at home.

The Nuggets are favored by 9.5 points on Friday, and they already have a 35-point win against this Philly team under their belt this month.

However, Philly does enter this game on a four-game winning streak, pulling into a tie with the Chicago Bulls for the No. 10 spot in the East. With a win, Philly could be in the play-in tournament picture – for now – in the Eastern Conference.

Still, oddsmakers aren’t expecting that to happen. Here’s a look at the latest odds, my two favorite prop bets, and a prediction for this interconference clash.

Nuggets vs. 76ers Odds, Spread and Total

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook.

Spread

Nuggets -9.5 (-108)
76ers +9.5 (-112)

Moneyline

Nuggets: -395
76ers: +310

Total

233.5 (Over -110/Under -110)

Nuggets vs. 76ers How to Watch

Date: Friday, Jan. 31
Time: 7:30 p.m. EST
Venue: Wells Fargo Center
How to Watch (TV): ESPN
Nuggets record: 28-19
76ers record: 19-27

Nuggets vs. 76ers Injury Reports

Nuggets Injury Report

Spencer Jones – out
DaRon Holmes II – out
Vlatko Cancar – out
Trey Alexander – out

76ers Injury Report

Joel Embiid – out
Andre Drummond – out
KJ Martin – out
Caleb Martin – out
Jared McCain – out
Paul George – out

Nuggets vs. 76ers Best NBA Prop Bets

Denver Nuggets Best NBA Prop Bet

Nikola Jokic to Record a Triple-Double (-125)

The New York Knicks slowed down Jokic in his last game, holding him to just 17 points (on 6-of-15 shooting), six rebounds and six assists on Wednesday.

However, Jokic has seven triple-doubles in his last 10 games (including 21 for the season), averaging 24.0 points, 12.6 rebounds and 11.2 assists per game over that 10-game stretch. The three-time league MVP is now averaging a triple-double this season, and he had 27-13-10 in just 30 minutes in a win over Philly this season.

He’s a great bet at this price.

Philadelphia 76ers Best NBA Prop Bet

Tyrese Maxey OVER 7.5 Assists (+105)

Tyrese Maxey is averaging just 6.0 assists per game, but this is a great matchup against a Denver team that allows an NBA-high 29.8 opponent assists per game.

Earlier this season, Maxey had 10 assists in a loss to Denver despite playing less than 34 minutes. On top of that, the Sixers guard has cleared this line in three of his last five games.

Maxey should have the ball in his hands as often as possible with Embiid and George sitting out once again.

Nuggets vs. 76ers Prediction and Pick

Earlier today, I shared in my NBA Best Bets column – Peter’s Points – why Denver is the team to bet in this matchup:

The Denver Nuggets once again won’t face Joel Embiid on Friday night, and Philly has also ruled out Paul George, Andre Drummond, Caleb Martin and KJ Martin.

Denver beat the Sixers by 35 points earlier this season in Denver, and it enters this game as a sizable road favorite. As a road favorite, the Nuggets are just 7-10 against the spread, but they’ve won 10 of those 17 games.

Philly has won four games in a row behind some strong play from Tyrese Maxey, but I think that comes to an end here.

The Sixers lack the interior defense to compete with Jokic, Aaron Gordon, and Russell Westbrook attacking the rim, and the Sixers are just 6-6-1 against the spread as a home underdog this season.

I’m not buying Philly’s winning streak too much, as it still ranks 23rd in the league in net rating over its last 10 games.

Pick: Nuggets -9.5 (-108)

Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

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Find Peter Dewey's NBA betting record here (futures included). You can also follow my daily plays on BetStamp here.