San Antonio at Denver

No, we are not going to get a Victor Wembanyama vs. Nikola Jokic matchup. Wembanyama remains out, as does San Antonio's standout guard Stephon Castle. But the Nuggets are not at full strength either. Christian Braun (left ankle sprain), Aaron Gordon (right hamstring strain), and Julian Strawther (lower back injury management) have all been ruled out, too. Minus Braun and Gordon, Denver's defense has really taken a hit. The Nuggets' defensive rating ranks in the bottom six in the NBA during the last five games. Denver has surrendered an average of 120 points a game during this span. That is nearly seven points more than its season average. San Antonio is 4–1 in its last five games, with wins against Portland, Atlanta, Memphis, and Sacramento. So this is a step-up game for the Spurs. However, San Antonio is 3-1 SU/ATS as an underdog this season, and this is a generous spread. The Spurs are the superior defensive team, ranking fourth, giving up 111.6 points per game, 2.2 fewer than Denver allows. Take the Spurs.