Denver Nuggets vs. San Antonio Spurs: 3 Best Bets

Before the San Antonio Spurs take on the Denver Nuggets, we have you covered with our three best bets.

Apr 2, 2024; Denver, Colorado, USA; San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama (1) gestures as he is defended by Denver Nuggets guard Christian Braun (0) / Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports

For the fourth and final time this season, the San Antonio Spurs will take on the Denver Nuggets. The Spurs are playing for lottery odds and the Nuggets are hoping to wrap up the first seed in the Western Conference. The Spurs have fallen short against Denver in all four of the matchups this season.

Just because the Spurs are all but guaranteed to lose does not mean that this game won't be worth watching. In the last matchup, both Victor Wembanyama and Nikola Jokic had masterful games, with the MVP-frontrunner posting 42 points and 16 rebounds and the presumptive Rookie of the Year going for 23 points, 15 boards, eight assists, and nine blocks. The game tonight is on NBA League Pass and local channels, but expect this to be a nationally televised game next season.

Apr 2, 2024; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (15) controls the ball as San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama (1) plays defense / Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports

The Spurs will be without Charles Bassey, Jeremy Sochan, Devin Vassell, Malaki Branham, Keldon Johnson, Cedi Osman, and Dominick Barlow. Vlatko Cancar is out for Denver, and Jokic, Michael Porter Jr., Aaron Gordon, Jamal Murray, Zeke Nnaji, and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope are all probable.

Keep it posted here for our three best bets, powered by the odds at SI Sportsbook.

The Lines

Point spread: Nuggets -10.5 (-110)/Spurs +10.5 (-110)

Money line: Nuggets (-568)/Spurs (+390)

Over/under: 222.5

Our Picks

Safe pick: Julian Champagnie OVER 11.5 points

Julian Champagnie has averaged 13 points in his last five games, and despite coming off an 0-for-6 from deep shooting night against the Oklahoma City Thunder in a blowout loss, he is one of only a few shooters the Spurs will have in the lineup. As Denver's defense collapses to handle Wembanyama in the paint, expect Champagnie to get open and have plenty of looks.

Opponent pick: Nikola Jokic to record a triple-double (+265)

If Jokic plays, which seems likely, it will be a one-on-one matchup between him and Wembanyama. Wemby is one of the best defenders in the league, but Jokic can stuff the stat sheet at will. The only major concern with this bet is that the Nuggets will run out to an early lead and Jokic won't be on the floor long enough to record a triple-double.

Fun pick: Victor Wembanyama to record a triple-double (+1300)

The same concern that surrounds Jokic matters with Wembanyama: if the Spurs are down big, they won't risk injury to their young superstar. That sounds fair enough and is defninity the smart move, but after Wembanyama flirted with a triple double in his last game against Denver, this bet seems more likely to hit that usual. Sadly, you can't parlay him and Jokic together and recieve austounding odds for our biggest risk of the season.