Denver at Indiana Spread, Free Pick & TV Info

Friday’s game between Denver and Indiana is just a so-so matchup between two teams trying to sneak into the Western and Eastern Conference playoffs, respectively, and then losing in the first round. But these two teams nearly had a very interesting link at the trade deadline. The Pacers will be NBA betting favorites here.

Denver at Indiana Spread, Free Pick & TV Info

When: Friday, March 24, 7 PM ET Where: Bankers Life Fieldhouse, Indianapolis TV: NBA League Pass NBA Odds: Pacers favored by TBA

Why Bet on Denver?

The Nuggets will win the eighth spot in the West, in my opinion, if they can stay healthy. Alas, that has been a problem all season. The team did get back swingman Wilson Chandler for Wednesday’s game vs. the Cavs, but he has been in and out of the lineup all year. Chandler is averaging 16.1 points, 6.6 rebounds and 2.1 assists on 45.6% shooting from the field in 31.1 minutes per game. He’s paced the Nuggets bench in scoring 19 times so far and is one of just 19 players in the NBA to average 15.5+ points and 6.5+ rebounds. Arguably the club’s second-best player, forward Danilo Gallinari, was out again Wednesday. It was his fourth straight game missed. Gallinari joined the Nuggets in 2011 and he brought his three-point accuracy along with him. Gallo has made 812 threes on 36.8% shooting in his eight-year career. 511 of those threes have come in a Nuggets uniform and on Dec. 15 he moved past Dale Ellis into fourth place on the Nuggets all-time made three-pointers list. He currently trails Chauncey Billups by three three-pointers before taking over third place on the list, something he is on pace to do well before the end of this season if he continues at his current rate of 1.9 made threes per game. Gallo is averaging a team-high 17.7 points, 4.9 rebounds and 2.1 assists in 33.7 minutes per game. The veteran forward has scored in double-figures in every game but one and has shown his trademark ability to knock down threes and get to the basket and draw fouls. Gallinari has hit a three in every game but five and has knocked down multiple treys 33 times. He has also gotten to the line for at least eight attempts in 18 games, including 10 games with 10+ attempts. On Jan. 12, 2017, the Nuggets hosted a “home” game at O2 Arena in London, England against the Indiana Pacers in front of a sellout crowd. The Nuggets put together their most complete and impressive performance of the season in a 140-112 blowout victory.

Why Bet on Indiana?

The Pacers were considering trading superstar Paul George at last month’s trade deadline and reportedly had deep conversations with these Nuggets. One of the problems is that George reportedly was not interested in committing to Denver long-term. The Nuggets have a number of tradeable veterans, including Chandler, Gallinari, and Kenneth Faried, as well as several young players who would likely be expendable in a blockbuster trade for George, such as Gary Harris, Emmanuel Mudiay, and perhaps even Jamal Murray. There’s zero chance that the Nuggets would have been interested in trading Nikola Jokic, however. It’s possible the teams could revisit in the offseason. Three Pacers players (George, Myles Turner and Jeff Teague) are averaging more than 15.0 points per game this season. The last time Indiana had more than two players appear in more than half of the team’s games and average 15.0 or more points per game was the 2001-02 season when Jermaine O’Neal (19.0), Jalen Rose (18.5) and Reggie Miller (16.5) all averaged over 15 points per game. Indiana is 13-8 this season when two or more players score 20 or more points, including a 5-1 mark when three players score 20 or more. The Pacers are 5-0 when all five of their starters score in double figures. Indiana is 15-5 when at least six players score 10 or more points. The Pacers are limiting opponents to 98.8 points per game (2nd in the NBA) on 43.9 percent shooting (3rd) from the field and 30.9 percent from three-point range (3rd) since the All-Star break. While Indiana has lost seven straight away from home vs. Denver, it beat the Nuggets in Indianapolis last year 109-105 in overtime.

Denver at Indiana Free Pick: Indiana Pacers

Indiana has one of the East’s best home records, while Denver is just 13-20 on the road.