The Denver Nuggets enter a four day stretch where they will have to play three difficult games beginning with the San Antonio Spurs Saturday night. The Nuggets need to win if they expect to hold onto their three spot in the Western Conference. The Spurs come into tonight's game needing to avoid loosing three straight. The Spurs catch a break for this game with the return of guard Tony Parker.
NBA Picks oddsmakers at BetUS.com list the Denver Nuggets as 6 1/2-chalk favorites versus the Spurs with a 200 1/2 total. The San Antonio Spurs backers are getting +235 odds on the BetUS moneyline while Denver is giving -275.
Only one game separates second-place Denver (52-27) from fifth in the Western Conference, which at the very least could be the difference between a division title and starting the postseason on the road. The Nuggets have a tenuous one-half game lead over Utah in the Northwest but have picked an opportune time to clamp down defensively and augment an offense that averages 106.6 points per game - good for second in the league.
The Nuggets have to like their chances of delivering defensively with Kenyon Martin returning Saturday. The veteran forward will play against San Antonio after missing 18 games with patellar tendinitis in his left knee. Martin underwent platelet-rich plasma therapy March 8 and has been working out with the goal of returning before the playoffs start.
The Spurs head to the Pepsi Center looking to avoid a third consecutive loss following a 107-99 home loss to the Grizzlies on Friday. Manu Ginobili scored 26 points hours after signing a $39 million extension, but San Antonio allowed Memphis to shoot 49 percent from the field and amass a 48-39 edge in rebounds.
NBA Picks: Denver need this win tonight and should defend home court, however, San Antonio should keep it close enough to cover the +6 1/2 spread.
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