Thanks, Denver!
Before Tuesday’s shocking announcement that Denver head coach Michael Malone had been fired, there was little intrigue heading into Wednesday’s primetime ESPN matchup featuring the Nuggets (47-32) heading west to take on the Sacramento Kings (39-40).
Denver was guaranteed a playoff berth, but the Nuggets' four-game losing streak was derailing their chances to secure a top-three spot in the Western Conference this season. Now, the Nuggets are in a four-way tie for fourth place, needing to win out to ensure they’ll avoid the play-in contests.
Sacramento is in the opposite situation. The Kings are guaranteed to make a play-in appearance this season and currently have an opportunity to host the Dallas Mavericks for that game. The franchise cannot advance beyond its ninth-seeded slot in the Western Conference with only three games remaining in the season.
In the Nuggets’ first game without Malone patrolling the sideline, how will Denver respond? We’ll cover that and our three best player prop bets for Wednesday’s game between the Nuggets and the Kings.
| Player | Prop | Price |
|---|
| Nikola Jokic | Over 50.5 Points/Rebounds/Assists | |
| Nikola Jokic | Under 50.5 Points/Rebounds/Assists | |
Denver Nuggets C Nikola Jokic OVER 53.5 Pts + Reb + Ast
You can’t blame Denver’s misfortunes on Nikola Jokic. The three-time MVP is a leading contender to add a fourth piece of hardware this season as he’s averaging 30.0 points, 12.8 rebounds, and 10.2 assists per game. Those totals rank among the top three in each category for the 2024-2025 season.
April has been a solid month for the big, too. He’s averaging 45.0 points, 12.3 rebounds, and 10.7 assists per game thus far despite his team’s losing effort.
Expect him to continue that trend on Wednesday despite having surpassed the 53.5 combined points, rebounds, and assists total only once in the team’s three previous matchups.
Live player props data coming soon for Domantas Sabonis.
Sacramento Kings PF Domantas Sabonis OVER 12.5 Rebounds
Jokic would be higher on the NBA’s rebounding chart without Sacramento’s Domantas Sabonis. The 6-foot-10 power forward is the league’s leader in rebounding, averaging 13.9 boards per night while contributing 19.2 points and 6.1 assists per game.
Sabonis has been dominant against the Nuggets in these head-to-head matchups. In two prior outings, the forward has finished with at least 14 rebounds each time. Bettors should expect this to continue on Wednesday as he covers his rebounding prop bet.
| Player | Prop | Price |
|---|
| Michael Porter Jr | Over 16.5 Points | |
| Michael Porter Jr | Under 16.5 Points | |
Denver Nuggets SF Michael Porter Jr. OVER 18.5 Points
It’s easy to overlook how important Michael Porter Jr. is to the Nuggets. The 6-foot-10 small forward is averaging 18.3 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 2.2 assists per night, but he’s led his team in scoring only five times this season, and three of those instances came against the New Orleans Pelicans.
In three previous games against the Kings, the veteran forward had bested his projected player prop total only once. Bettors can throw those outcomes out the window, however, as point guard Jamal Murray is expected to miss tonight’s game. Without the team’s second-leading scorer, expect Porter to be an offensive factor and score at least 20 points against the Kings.
Best Bet: Kings (+4)
Denver has owned the season series, winning all three previous matchups against the Kings. In March, the Nuggets earned their largest margin of victory over Sacramento in the team’s 116-110 home win.
Before Malone’s firing, oddsmakers listed Denver as a 1.5-point favorite over the Kings. Now, Sacramento is a 3.5-point underdog, odds that are too good to pass up. Expect the homestanding Kings to keep this game close throughout as Denver muddles through the mess Malone’s firing left the team to deal with.
