Nuggets vs. Nets Prediction, Odds and Best NBA Prop Bets for Sunday, Jan. 4

Can Denver pick up a win without Nikola Jokic?

The Denver Nuggets and guard Jamal Murray are favored on Sunday. / Kevin Sousa-Imagn Images

The Denver Nuggets are looking to pick up their second win since Nikola Jokic (knee) went down, and there may be some reinforcements on Sunday afternoon. 

Aaron Gordon and Christian Braun are both questionable for Sunday’s matchup after missing several weeks with injuries. Denver, as a result, is favored on the road against a Brooklyn Nets team that is just 4-13 at home in the 2025-26 season. 

Michael Porter Jr., who is having a great season in Brooklyn, gets a shot at his former team on Sunday, although the Nets have lost three in a row heading into this matchup.

Here’s a breakdown of the odds, my favorite player prop and a prediction for Sunday’s matchup. 

Nuggets vs. Nets Odds, Spread and Total

Spread

• Nuggets -1.5 (-115) 
• Nets +1.5 (-105)

Moneyline

• Nuggets: -135
• Nets: +114

Total

• 224.5 (Over -115/Under -105)

Nuggets vs. Nets How to Watch

• Date: Sunday, Jan. 4
• Time: 3:30 p.m. EST
• Venue: Barclays Center
• How to Watch (TV): YES Network, Altitude
• Nuggets record: 23-11
• Nets record: 10-22

Nuggets vs. Nets Injury Reports

Nuggets Injury Report

• Aaron Gordon – questionable
• Christian Braun – questionable
• Nikola Jokic – out
• Tamar Bates – out
• Jonas Valanciunas – out
• Cameron Johnson – out
• Jamal Murray – probable

Nets Injury Report

• Nic Claxton – out
• Tyson Etienne – out
• Michael Porter Jr. – probable
• Chaney Johnson – out
• Haywood Highsmith – out
• Ben Saraf – out
• EJ Liddell – out

Nuggets vs. Nets Best NBA Prop Bet

Nuggets Best NBA Prop Bet

• Jamal Murray OVER 26.5 Points (-112)

In today’s best NBA prop bets column for SI Betting, I shared why Murray is a great prop target against Brooklyn. 

With Jokic out of the lineup, a ton of the scoring burden has fallen on Murray in this Denver offense.

The star guard put up 34 points on 28 shots in his last game against the Cleveland Cavaliers, and he should have a massive workload against the Brooklyn Nets.

Murray is averaging 25.4 points per game for the 2025-26 season, so we’re not asking him to go much above his season average even though his usage has been up since Jokic went down against the Miami Heat in late December. 

Brooklyn, despite recent improvement on the defensive end, is still just 21st in the league in defensive rating this season. 

Nuggets vs. Nets Prediction and Pick

Earlier today, I shared in my NBA Best Bets column – Peter’s Points – why I’m taking the Nuggets to win on the road: 

There’s a chance that Denver gets both Aaron Gordon and Christian Braun back in the lineup on Sunday, as they’ve both been upgraded to questionable against Brooklyn.

That’s a great sign for a Nuggets team that hung around without both players in a recent game against the Cleveland Cavaliers. Denver is not nearly as good of a team with Nikola Jokic out, but Jamal Murray has played at an All-Star level this season and the Nuggets would benefit in a big way from Gordon and Braun returning.

Meanwhile, the Nets have lost three games in a row, and they are just 4-13 straight up at home while going 6-10 against the spread when set as home underdogs. 

While this is a revenge game for Michael Porter Jr., I’ll buy low on Denver in this matchup. 

Pick: Nuggets Moneyline (-135 at DraftKings)

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Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

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