The present and the future clash when the Denver Nuggets host the San Antonio Spurs on Friday.
The pregame narrative: Nikola Jokic is the best player on earth and Victor Wembanyama is up next. I have prop bets on both superstars in this +270 SGP, which also features Denver to win.
Check out my Spurs vs. Nuggets same-game parlay predictions for Jan. 3.
Spurs vs. Nuggets predictions
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Parlay: Nuggets moneyline + Jokic over 1.5 threes + Wembanyama over 24.5 points (+270)
Nuggets moneyline (-215): Denver is beginning to find its form, which should worry the rest of the league.
- The Nuggets are 8-3 over their last 11 games, averaging 127.6 points per game.
- That includes a 4-1 record at Ball Arena with the only loss coming to the Eastern Conference-leading Cleveland Cavaliers.
- The Jokic-led offence has put up 130-plus points in four straight games, winning each of its last three by 10+ points.
San Antonio is no longer a lottery team but I still don’t trust it against the league’s elite. Especially on the road.
The Spurs are 0-9 on the road against teams currently in a playoff spot.
SGP legs
Jokic over 1.5 threes (-182): Gone are the days when you could get this prop at a reasonable price.
Jokic has expanded his scoring bag by adding a lethal 3-point stroke to the arsenal. He’s making 2.2 threes a night at a stellar 49.2% clip.
The reigning MVP has been particularly trigger-happy since the start of December:
- 4.9 three-point attempts/game
- 2+ threes in 11/15 games
On the season, Jokic has cleared this mark in 20 of 29 games.
Wembayama over 24.5 points (-167): Wembanyama is living up to his alien moniker.
The 7-foot-4 sophomore is averaging 29.3 points in his last 10 games, clearing this total eight times.
Wemby has shot the lights out from deep during this stretch (3.7 makes at a 38.5% rate) and Denver allows the sixth-most 3s per game (14.1).
The Nuggets are also playing at a pace of 102.16 possessions per game — the fifth-fastest in basketball — meaning Wembanyama should get more looks than usual.
Back the burgeoning superstar in a solid matchup.
Picks made at 12:20 p.m. ET 01/03/2025
Avery joined NorthStar Gaming as an intern in 2022 before stepping into a full-time role soon after. He loves betting on and analyzing golf — mainly because it’s easier than actually playing — but is a fan of all sports, from the NFL to the UFC.