The New York Knicks continue their important road trip on Wednesday in Denver against a projected title contender.
The Knicks got back to .500 with a 7-7 record after a hard-fought win against the Utah Jazz last night led by a 25-point performance from Jalen Brunson. It was a win that was needed to ease some of the tension surrounding the team and coach Tom Thibodeau.
It’s not an exaggeration to say that this road trip will determine the immediate future of the New York Knicks. Many fans were ready to send Thibodeau packing after a horrific loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder. A win in Utah cools off his seat for now, but a loss in Denver with two-time MVP Nikola Jokic in health and safety protocols will have his seat hotter than the inside of a pizza roll.
Denver comes into this game with a 9-4 record off the heels of a 126-103 victory over the Chicago Bulls on Sunday. The well-rested Nuggets will play their first game of the season without Nikola Jokic. They will look to Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr. who are both coming off major offseason injuries to pick up the slack offensively.
Denver is a high-scoring team that shoots the ball well and moves the ball effectively. The challenge will come defensively for the Knicks as they are playing in a back-to-back and will need to stay disciplined and not give a team this good any easy baskets. A big game from Julius Randle wouldn’t hurt either.
New York Knicks vs Denver Nuggets Odds, Spread, Over/Under
The latest odds from FanDuel Sportsbook have the Knicks as a -3.5 underdog with the team -106 to cover. The Knicks’ moneyline is set at +136 and the moneyline for the Nuggets is at -162. The over/under is set for 226 points.
Knicks Projected Starting Lineup Tonight
- Jalen Brunson
- RJ Barrett
- Cam Reddish
- Julius Randle
- Isaiah Hartenstein
Knicks Injury Report
The Knicks will be without Mitchell Robinson (knee), who will miss his eighth game of the season. Nikola Jokic (health and safety protocols) will be out for the Nuggets. Aaron Gordon (non-COVID illness) is questionable while Bones Hyland (COVID-19 protocols) and Ish Smith (calf) are listed as doubtful.
New York Knicks vs Denver Nuggets Prediction
Coming off a tough win in Utah last night, playing a back-to-back in Denver will not be easy. However, with Jokic out, the Nuggets will struggle to replace the humungous void left in their offense. It also means the Nuggets will have to either rely on De’Andre Jordan to play heavy minutes at center or play small for the majority of the game. The latter is more likely which gives the Knicks the advantage as they possess versatile bigs like Randle and Toppin.
Denver is fourth in points per game, but 20th in the league in points allowed per game. I expect a high-scoring game, similar to the Knicks’ game against the Celtics earlier this month, which was also the second game of a back-to-back. I’ll be bold and say the Knicks will pull off another impressive win and do so for the first time in Denver since 2006.
New York 110, Denver 105
What channel can I watch the Knicks game on?
Knicks-Nuggets can be watched on the MSG Network. The tip-off is scheduled for 10:00 p.m. ET.
New York Knicks vs Denver Nuggets Live Stream
To watch the live stream for the game, head over to fuboTV for a free trial.
Knicks Next Game and Schedule
After tonight, the Knicks will have three games left in their Western Conference road trip before returning to New York.
Nov. 18 at Golden State
Nov. 20 at Phoenix
Nov. 21 at Oklahoma City
Nov. 25 vs Portland
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