Germantas Kneita
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The New Orleans Pelicans visit the Denver Nuggets tonight, trailing the season series 2-0. However, the team has plenty of fight in it still. Despite missing Zion Williamson, they have climbed to 11th in the Western Conference standings, just a place outside the play-in positions. There are rumblings they are looking to acquire a scoring guard to really make a push for the playoffs. With such targets, expect them to come out swinging.
You can find our full game previews here. But for now check out my same game parlay for the Pelicans visit to Denver below.
Nikola Jokic 2+ made threes (-104)
Herbert Jones to score 10+ points (-125)
Nikola Jokic to record 12+ assists (+280)
Parlay odds: +1081
Nikola Jokic 2+ made threes (-104)
With Jonas Valanciunas lining up against him tonight, Nikola Jokic knows he will be in for a tough and physical battle in the paint. Not that he is one to shy away from contact, but it would be in the best interest of the Nuggets if the reigning MVP could force the Lithuanian to step out of the paint. The Pelicans center had 3 blocks the last time the teams met and he could make it tough for Aaron Gordon to finish at the rim. That will require the Serbian to be one of the floor spacers tonight. Jokic has been shooting well too. He has knocked down 2 or more 3-pointers in 7 of his last 9 games. That includes the 3 of 6 shooting night he has against the Pelicans at the end of January. The center is making 37.5% of his shot attempts this season, and if he takes 6 or more tonight, expect a couple of makes.
Herbert Jones to score 10+ points (-125)
Herbert Jones has carved out a major role for himself on this team. He played close to 34 minutes per night in January. While he is not a go to option on offense, that playing time allows him to generate enough scoring opportunities through smart cuts and positioning. He managed double-digit points in 13 of the 15 games he played last month. While he started February with just a 6-point performance against the Pistons, he was dealing with foul trouble. That should not be an issue tonight. The last time he came up against the Nuggets he recorded 19 points. He also had 5 steals in that game. If he can keep that aggression on the defensive end, it should create a couple of run-out opportunities for him. It should be enough to help him reach the 10-point mark.
Nikola Jokic to record 12+ assists (+280)
The last time that Jokic came up against Valanciunas he managed to record 11 assists. Considering his recent play, do not be surprised to see him go at least 1 better tonight. He has recorded 12 or more assists in 4 of his last 10 games. The 4 big men opposite him in those games were Rudy Gobert, Dwight Howard, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Steven Adams. All of them are either extremely physical or provide great rim protection. That encourages Jokic to step out to the perimeter and attack them in areas they are not as comfortable defending. Outside of the paint, his passing becomes a more dangerous weapon. I expect this to be the approach he will be taking this game too. He should certainly be a triple-double threat.
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