Through 1 Quarter
The Denver Nuggets are giving their home crowd exactly what it was hoping to see. They have jumped out to a quick 33-25 lead against the Miami Heat.
The Nuggets have enjoyed the tag-team combination of point guard Monte Morris and center Nikola Jokic. The former has ten points and two assists, while the latter has four points and two assists along with three rebounds and two steals. Small forward Jimmy Butler has done his best for Miami, currently boasting ten points (40% of their total) and two dimes.
Denver’s lead is the biggest they have had this year going into the second quarter.
Who’s Playing
Miami @ Denver
Current Records: Miami 7-2; Denver 5-4
What to Know
The Miami Heat have enjoyed the comforts of home their last two games, but now they must head out on the road. They will square off against the Denver Nuggets at 9 p.m. ET Monday at Ball Arena. Matchupthese two teams experienced a bit of a scare in their previous matchupthese two teams experienced a bit of a scare in their previous but managed to pull out a pair of wins.
Things were close when Miami and the Utah Jazz clashed this past Saturday, but the Heat ultimately edged out the opposition 118-115. Miami’s point guard Kyle Lowry was one of the most active players for the team, dropping a triple-double on 20 points, 12 boards, and ten dimes. Lowry had some trouble finding his footing against the Boston Celtics this past Thursday, so this was a step in the right direction.
Speaking of close games: Denver escaped with a win this past Saturday against the Houston Rockets by the margin of a single free throw, 95-94. The Nuggets’ center Nikola Jokic did his thing and posted a double-double on 28 points and 14 rebounds.
Barring any buzzer beaters, Miami is expected to win a tight contest. They have been consistent moneymakers against the spread when favored (4-2), so they might be worth a quick bet.
The wins brought Miami up to 7-2 and Denver to 5-4. A pair of defensive numbers to keep in mind before tip-off: The Heat have been holding their opponents to a field goal percentage of 41%, which places them first in the league. As for the Nuggets, they rank first in the league when it comes to points allowed per game, with only 98.8 on average.
How To Watch
- When: Monday at 9 p.m. ET
- Where: Ball Arena — Denver, Colorado
- TV: Altitude Sports & Entertainmnt
- Online streaming: fuboTV (Try for free. Regional restrictions may apply.)
- Follow: CBS Sports App
- Ticket Cost: $11.00
Odds
The Heat are a slight 2.5-point favorite against the Nuggets, according to the latest NBA odds.
The line has drifted a bit towards the Heat, as the game opened with the Heat as a 1-point favorite.
Over/Under: -111
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Series History
Denver have won seven out of their last 12 games against Miami.
- Apr 14, 2021 – Denver 123 vs. Miami 106
- Jan 27, 2021 – Denver 109 vs. Miami 82
- Aug 01, 2020 – Miami 125 vs. Denver 105
- Nov 05, 2019 – Denver 109 vs. Miami 89
- Feb 11, 2019 – Denver 103 vs. Miami 87
- Jan 08, 2019 – Denver 103 vs. Miami 99
- Mar 19, 2018 – Miami 149 vs. Denver 141
- Nov 03, 2017 – Denver 95 vs. Miami 94
- Apr 02, 2017 – Denver 116 vs. Miami 113
- Nov 30, 2016 – Miami 106 vs. Denver 98
- Mar 14, 2016 – Miami 124 vs. Denver 119
- Jan 15, 2016 – Miami 98 vs. Denver 95
