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Heading into the Western Conference Playoffs, everyone was trying to avoid playing the Phoenix Suns. With a healthy Kevin Durant, along with Devin Booker and Chris Paul, this was a team that everyone deemed the most dangerous team in the West. After their first round victory over the Los Angeles Clippers, the Suns were ready to clash with the top-seeded Denver Nuggets.

It was obvious that Denver wasn’t scared of Phoenix, as the Nuggets beat the Suns 125-107 to take a 1-0 series lead heading into tonight’s Game 2 in Denver. Jamal Murray was the star of the show for the Nuggets. Murray scored 34 points to lead the Nuggets, as he looked like the Jamal Murray of old prior to his knee injury.

We’ll see how the Suns respond in Game 2. We will now preview both teams, and then we’ll give you our betting prediction for this huge Western Conference semifinal game.

Keep reading for NBA Playoff betting odds, analysis, and free picks for Phoenix hosting the Denver.

2023 NBA Playoffs East Second Round Game 2 Betting Preview: Phoenix at Denver | MyBookie NBA Preview

West Semifinals – Game 2, DEN leads series 1-0
NBA Odds: Suns +4, Nuggets -4, / Suns +138, Nuggets -169 / O/U 228
When: Monday, May 1, 2023 at 8:00 pm ET
Where: Ball Arena, Denver, CO
TV / Streaming: TNT

Why Bet on Phoenix versus Nuggets?

Heading into Game 2, the Suns have vowed to play faster. The tempo favored the Nuggets in Game 1, and the Suns want to change that in Game 2. The Suns rely on their pace to outscore their opponents, and in Game 1, they could never get the pace where they wanted it.

The Phoenix Suns will also need to rebound the ball better. Denver had 16 offensive rebounds, and the Suns were outrebounded 49-38. Denver star Nikola Jokic had eight offensive boards of his own, so the Suns will need to do a better job of containing Jokic and the rest of the Nuggets on their offensive end of the floor.

The Suns are also going to need to do a better job of defending the three-point shot. Denver shot 16-37 from beyond the arc in Game 1. Murray was 4-6. The Suns defense will need to get better, or they could find themselves in a 2-0 hole heading back to Phoenix.

Phoenix Suns Offensive Averages

Points/G: 114.0
FG %: 53.7
3PT %: 32.0
FT %: 79.4
Rebounds/G: 52.4

Phoenix Suns Defensive Averages

Points/G: 112.0
FG %: 53.2
3PT %: 32.2
FT %: 78.9
Rebounds/G: 51.2

Why Bet on Nuggets versus Phoenix?

Besides Murray, Jokic and Aaron Gordon also had fabulous Game 1’s. Jokic had 24 points, while Gordon chipped in with 23. If Phoenix allows Denver’s top three scorers to score over 80 points combined, they’re going to have a hard time containing this offense.

Denver played well defensively in Game 1. The Denver Nuggets forced a lot of Suns turnovers, including 14 steals. They were able to dominate the glass, and slow the game down. If they continue to play this way, they’re going to be hard to beat.

Denver Nuggets Offensive Averages

Points/G: 115.8
FG %: 57.1
3PT %: 31.3
FT %: 75.4
Rebounds/G: 51.1

Denver Nuggets Defensive Averages

Points/G: 112.0
FG %: 54.2
3PT %: 32.9
FT %: 77.5
Rebounds/G: 48.1

Phoenix Suns at Denver Nuggets Betting Trends

The Nuggets record only 4.2 more points per game (115.8) than the Suns give up (111.6).
Denver has a 37-16-2 record against the spread and a 47-8 record overall when putting up more than 111.6 points.
Phoenix has a 33-18-2 record against the spread and a 39-14 record overall when giving up fewer than 115.8 points.
The Suns put up only 1.1 more points per game (113.6) than the Nuggets allow (112.5).
The moneyline set for this matchup implies Denver has a 64% chance of coming away with a victory in the contest.
Phoenix has gone 9-23 in games it was the underdog on the moneyline (winning 28.1% of those games).
When playing as a moneyline underdog with odds of +150 or longer, Phoenix has gone 4-9 (30.8%).
The implied moneyline probablility for this matchup gives Phoenix a 40% chance to win.
This season, Denver has put up more than 116 points in a game 42 times

Starting Lineups

Phoenix Suns
Devin Booker, Josh Okogie, Chris Paul, Kevin Durant, Deandre Ayton

Denver Nuggets
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Michael Porter Jr., Jamal Murray Aaron Gordon, Nikola Jokic

Injuries

Phoenix Suns
None

Denver Nuggets
Collin Gillespie (Lower Leg – out)

Phoenix Suns at Denver Nuggets Betting Analysis

Heading into tonight’s Game 2, the oddsmakers have made the Denver Nuggets 4.5-point favorites. We think the Suns will rebound from their poor Game 1, and play much better in Game 2. We think this game is going to be very tight and come down to the wire.

With that being said, we like the Suns in this one. We don’t necessarily think that they’ll win, but we think it will be a 2-3 point ballgame. The Suns don’t want to head back home down two games, but it’s looking like that will be the case. The Nuggets will win the ballgame, but the Suns will cover the 4.5-point spread tonight.

NBA Playoffs Round 2 Prediction: Suns will cover | Bet Suns at Nuggets Today
MyBookie Betting Lines for the Game