Denver Nuggets vs Memphis Grizzlies Prediction, Odds and Picks for Today, 11/17/24

Two teams missing their star players could be taking to the court in Memphis this evening. For the hosts, Ja Morant looks to be a long term absentee while for the visiting Denver Nuggets, Nikola Jokic could miss his second straight game due to personal reasons. The visitors have struggled to get going on the road so far this season, with a 2-2 record. That includes a loss at the hands of a shorthanded New Orleans Pelicans team in their last outing. The Grizzlies on the other hand have been holding it down at home, with a 4-2 record so far.

The absence of Jokic could cause major issues for the Nuggets offensively. The center is making an incredible 56.4% of his 3-point attempts this season. Without him, the visitors could have major issues generating points from the outside. Thinks would not get much easier for them inside the paint, with the Grizzlies currently 2nd in the NBA in blocks per game. The size of Zach Edey and Jaren Jackson Jr. should play a major part here. The latter has also been in great form scoring the ball, averaging 27 points per game over the last week. Look for him to carry the hosts to a win tonight and to cover the spread.

Memphis Grizzlies -2 available at time of publishing. Playable to Grizzlies -3.