Denver Nuggets vs Memphis Grizzlies Prediction: High-scoring game on the cards as best of West collides

NBA Regular Season is a fascinating event and we are into an amazing window where we will witness some trades and some teams making seismic shifts. The midseason is on and this has been an interesting season where we have seen the rise and fall of various teams. In this game, the Denver Nuggets take on the Memphis Grizzlies.

The Nuggets enter the game after defeating the 119:115 as Nikola Jokic dipped in 40 points. The Nuggets have won eight out of 12 games and during the period, Jokic has stacked up 30+ points repeatedly while racking up rebounds and assists. Jokic continues to lead the team in scoring, rebounding, and assists. The Nuggets have now won 18 and lost 11 which implies significant gains from last season. Nuggets’ management had a great offseason, landing Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Bruce Brown, both of whom have upgraded the lineup alongside the return of Jamal Murray.

The Nuggets have the most efficient offense and are shooting around 50%, which is just phenomenal, making for the third-best offensive rating, averaging around 115 points a game. On the other hand, their defense has been rather atrocious at times, giving up around 49% on average. This shootout form of basketball has elevated the Nuggets and once Michael Porter Jr. returns, they can even make further gains. The balance in the lineup is incredible and the team moves the ball beautifully with Jokic at the helm.

The Grizzlies enter the affair after losing 109:115 against the Thunder despite a 32 points performance by Dillon Brooks. In that game, the team’s leading scorer and playmaker Superstar Ja Morant was ejected before halftime which brought massive imbalance. This loss came after the team had won seven in a row and the Grizzlies remain at the top of the rankings, although they haven’t created much space with the Nuggets, Suns, and Pelicans all within a game. The Grizzlies have been among the top teams since last season and despite injuries, they have pulled through.

For instance, they have been missing Desmond Bane for a long time and have seen Ja Morant miss some games, but their depth has once again rescued them. A player like Tyus Jones who can be a starter comes off the bench and has acted as a superb injury cover for multiple seasons. Things are clicking for Dillon Brooks on both ends whereas the return of Jaren Jackson made the Grizzlies a much more effective defensive squad. Having Steven Adams makes them one of the best rebounding units on either end and there is a high chance of the Grizzlies making a deep Playoff.

• Nuggets: OUT: Collin Gillespie. DOUBTFUL: Michael Porter Jr. QUESTIONABLE: Jamal Murray, Jeff Green. Game-Time Decisions: Nikola Jokic, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope;
• Grizzlies: Desmond Bane, Danny Green.

• Expected Leading Scorers: Nikola Jokic(31-35 Points), Ja Morant(29-35 Points);
• Expected Leading Rebounders: Nikola Jokic(12-15 Rebounds), Steven Adams(11-14 Rebounds);
• Expected Leading Playmakers: Nikola Jokic(8-10 Assists), Ja Morant(8-11 Assists)

Both the Grizzlies and the Nuggets like to score a lot but have contrasting styles, the Grizzlies are more of scoring quickly in the shot-clock type of team whereas the Nuggets run a methodical offense, riding heavily upon Jokic to operate in the post but also in different methods. The Grizzlies play much more physically and are much better at shutting down space. Although they are playing away from home, I see the Grizzlies charged up here and give a knockout punch. I predict a scoreline of 121:116 in favor of Memphis.