The Toronto Raptors welcome to the defending NBA Champion Denver Nuggets to town for the first time this season.
The Nuggets have won 4 of their last 5 games. Meanwhile, the Raptors have won 3 of their last 4 home meetings against Denver.
The Raptors are going to have their work cut out for them taking on two-time MVP Nikola Jokic and Canadian Jamal Murray.
Jokic has been playing like an MVP candidate this season and is always dangerous whenever he’s on the court.
The Raptors are looking to get the upset win here and make it two wins in a row. The Raptors avoided disaster when they came back to beat the shorthanded Hornets on Dec. 18.
They won’t get a shorthanded team in this spot, though. The only player on the Nuggets injury report is Aaron Gordon but he’s probable as he continues to deal with a painful heel injury. Meanwhile, Christian Koloko remains out for the Raptors with respiratory issues.
The one thing going for the Raptors is that they have actually had success against good Western Conference teams this season. They beat the Minnesota Timberwolves and Dallas Mavericks. The Raptors seem to up their game whenever going up against the West’s best so maybe they rise to the occasion here at home against the Nuggets.
However, the Nuggets are a well-oiled machine. They can beat you in so many ways and the Raptor can’t afford to get off to a slow start or struggle to shoot the basketball if they want a chance to win.
Denver Nuggets (18-10) vs. Toronto Raptors (11-15)
7:30 p.m. ET, Monday, December 20, 2023
Scotiabank Arena, Toronto, Ontario
TV: TSN
Projected Nuggets Starting Lineup:
PG: Jamal Murray
SG: Kentavious Caldwell-Pope
SF: Michael Porter Jr.
PF: Aaron Gordon
C: Nikola Jokic
Key Reserves: Christian Braun, Peyton Watson, Julian Strawther
Projected Raptors Starting Lineup:
PG: Dennis Schroder
SG: O.G. Anunoby
SF: Scottie Barnes
PF: Pascal Siakam
C: Jakob Poeltl
Key Reserves: Gary Trent Jr., Precious Achiuwa, Malachi Flynn
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