The Denver Nuggets came into the 2022-23 NBA season with sky-high expectations and one of the dark horses to emerge out of a loaded Western Conference.
Despite getting off to a relatively slow start, falling early to the “rebuilding” Utah Jazz and new-look Portland Trail Blazers, the Nuggets have been one of the more fun-to-watch teams in the NBA and now find themselves 7-3 through the first leg of the regular season.
While it’s easy to point to Denver’s somewhat soft schedule as the primary reason for their early success, the teams we all thought would struggle have actually been pretty good so far.
The San Antonio Spurs are just one game below .500 but have beaten competitive teams like Chicago, Minnesota, and Philadelphia, and the Portland Trail Blazers carry the same record as the Nuggets through ten games. While the Utah Jazz, whom Denver has played twice now, sit atop the Western Conference at 9-3.
The Denver Nuggets still have a ways to go if they hope to match up with contenders like Boston, Milwaukee, and Phoenix deeper into the season, but for a team that’s just now starting to find its identity, the results have been pretty impressive thus far.
Now, the Nuggets continue their road trip as they head to Indiana to take on the Pacers, who have also held their own against quality opponents. Although, with Denver having won five of their previous six games, the latest Nuggets odds see them as favorites to keep the ball rolling and come away with yet another road victory.
Denver Nuggets vs. Indiana Pacers Odds, Spread, Over/Under
The latest odds from FanDuel Sportsbook have Denver as -5.5 favorites against the spread, with the team -108 (bet $108 to win $100 ) to cover. The Pacers are +180 on the moneyline, while the Nuggets check in at -215 (bet $215 to win $100).
The over-under is 235.5, with the over and under both set at -110.
Nuggets Projected Starting Lineup Tonight
G – Jamal Murray – No. 27
G – Caldwell-Pope – No. 5
F – Michael Porter Jr. – No. 1
F – Aaron Gordon – No. 50
C – Nikola Jokic – No. 15
With everybody at full strength, we can expect the regular unit to be back out there tonight.
Nuggets Injury Report
After missing Monday night’s game against the Spurs with a right ankle sprain, it looks like Zeke Nnaji has been upgraded to questionable for tonight’s matchup, while Ish Smith remains out with a right calf strain.
Nuggets are upgrading Zeke Nnaji (ankle) to questionable tonight at Pacers. Ish Smith is out.
— Harrison Wind (@HarrisonWind) November 9, 2022
Denver Nuggets vs. Indiana Pacers Prediction
Through the first ten games of the regular season, the Denver Nuggets have been about as good as expected (if not better). They carry a top-five offense with a rating of 114.9, despite having to work Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr. back into the rotation following their season-ending injuries. They also rank second in the league in assists per game (29.0), third in fast break points per game (18.1), and first in three-point percentage (41.9).
Michael Porter Jr. is shooting a ridiculous 49.3% from deep on over seven attempts per game, while Jamal Murray has scored 19 or more points in three of their last four outings. Nikola Jokic already leads the league with eight double-doubles and three triple-doubles, per StatMuse, while Kentavious Caldwell-Pope has been an absolute force on defense, averaging better than 1.6 steals per game.
The Pacers are a respectable opponent with loads of young talent spread across multiple positions, however, they just can’t match up with a team as deep as the Denver Nuggets. They also feature a 26th-ranked defense that allows the third most points per game in the NBA (118.0).
Nuggets 127, Pacers 115
What channel is the Denver Nuggets game on?
Wednesday’s game will be broadcast at 5:00 p.m. MST/7:00 p.m. EST on Bally Sports Indiana for local Pacers fans as well as Altitude for American audiences.
Denver Nuggets vs. Indiana Pacers Live Stream
If you’re looking for a live stream, check out FuboTV for a free trial!
Nuggets’ Next Game and Upcoming Schedule
Denver will continue their road trip Friday as they head to Boston to take on the Celtics before traveling over to Chi-Town to battle with the Bulls.
Nov. 11 @ Boston
Nov. 13 @ Chicago
Nov. 16 vs. New York
Nov. 18 @ Dallas
Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.