After losing two games without their superstar center, the Denver Nuggets bounced back with a two-point win over the Golden State Warriors. The latest Nikola Jokic injury update reveals that the superstar is again questionable, this time for Tuesday’s action, with the same calf tightness that has held him out of prior games. Bettors must seriously consider whether Nikola Jokic is playing tonight before placing their wagers.
The Nuggets and Rockets will tip off at 8 p.m. ET, making this one of the slate’s later games. Those looking for an edge should heed this advice or check out OddsShopper’s tools for sharp NBA bets. A full subscription to OddsShopper Premium will help you find +ROI bets and become a profitable sports bettor!
The legal gambling age is 21+ in most states. Gambling Problem? Call or text 1-800-GAMBLER.
Nikola Jokic Injury Update – NBA Betting Impact
With the win over the Warriors on Sunday, the Denver Nuggets have all but locked up the top seed in the Western Conference. They have a three-game lead over the Memphis Grizzlies, the only team with a mathematical chance of passing them. Because they hold the tiebreaker over Memphis, Denver would need to lose four-straight games to fumble the top seed. That positioning may affect whether they choose to start Nikola Jokic.
Jokic earned questionable tags before Denver’s last three games, all of which listed right calf tightness as the ailment in question. He was then downgraded to out before each game began. Jokic’s calf wasn’t an issue early in the year, and it’s unclear how severe the ongoing issue is. With Denver’s playoff seeding all but locked up, the Nuggets have little incentive to rush him back.
Denver doesn’t have a clear backup to Jokic. In the first game he missed, Thomas Bryant started. Bryant played poorly and hasn’t logged a minute since. DeAndre Jordan drew the start in the second game and also struggled. Likewise, he hasn’t played a minute since. Jeff Green started as a small-ball center against the Warriors and fared reasonably well. As a result, it’s unclear who the Nuggets will use against the Houston Rockets if Jokic sits.
Nuggets-Rockets NBA Betting Tips & Advice
The Denver Nuggets will visit the long-since-eliminated Houston Rockets on Tuesday evening. With neither team having much incentive to win, this game is a hard one to handicap. That said, it’s worth noting that the Nuggets are 25.5 points more efficient with Jokic on the floor than without him. Houston’s Alperen Sengün could go wild without an effective center on the floor to line up against.
Still, Denver has a slight incentive — a chance to lock up the No. 1 seed for good — on the table. As a result, they should still come out trying to win Tuesday’s game. But because their remaining contests come against the Phoenix Suns, soon-to-be-eliminated Utah Jazz and the soon-to-be locked-in No. 3 Sacramento Kings, Denver can choose which game it wants to try and win. Further, even a single Memphis loss would lock up the No. 1 seed for Denver.
The Nuggets opened as a 10-point favorite over the Rockets despite Jokic’s questionable tag. Houston has suffered a double-digit loss in three of its last seven games, although each of those matchups came against a team with something to gain. However, the Rockets are a 0-3 against the spread when playing the Nuggets this year.
Because a Jokic-less Nuggets team may falter against even a tanking Rockets squad, you should consider backing either the Rockets against the spread or Sengün on the player prop markets at DraftKings Sportsbook. Those new to DraftKings can earn $150 in bonus bets with a winning $5 moneyline wager. Bettors in Ohio can score the same deal but via this link instead!
