The Phoenix Suns will try to close the gap on the Denver Nuggets in the Western Conference standings when these two teams tangle in Phoenix on Tuesday.

A 44-28 record has the Nuggets in an automatic playoff spot at No. 5, while the Suns are 40-32 and would be in the play-in tournament if the regular season ended today.

This marks the third and final head-to-head matchup between these two teams. Denver is 2-0 so far with a 133-111 home blowout on October 25, followed by a 130-112 beatdown in Phoenix on November 29.

The Nuggets are 5.5-point favourites to win on the NBA odds, with the total set at 233.5.

Nuggets vs. Suns NBA Betting Odds

The Nuggets were -13 home favourites in October and -4 road favourites in November. Denver is 3-1 against the spread in the last four head-to-head meetings and 4-1 ATS in its last five trips to Phoenix. The Suns are 4-9-1 ATS in their last 14 at home.

As for the Over/Under, the Over is 3-0 in the three head-to-head encounters. However, the Under is 3-1 in Denver’s last three games and 4-0 in Phoenix’s last four.

Denver Nuggets

Denver has been quite good on the road this season, sporting a 23-15 record. Recently, though, the Nuggets have been all over the place as visitors. They have lost three of their last four road games, but this stretch includes an extremely impressive win at San Antonio on March 12.

Jamal Murray scored 39 points against the Spurs and has continued to be in fine form. The Kentucky product finished with 31 points against Toronto this past Friday and then went 4-for-9 from three-point range during Sunday’s victory over Portland. Murray torched the Suns for 24 points on a 5-for-10 effort from downtown in their most recent head-to-head meeting.

Phoenix Suns

Why is Phoenix getting 5.5 points at home? A lot of it has to do with the injury report. Mark Williams (foot) has missed the last three weeks, and there is no timetable for his return. Grayson Allen (knee) got hurt last Monday against Boston and presumably won’t be back for this one. Royce O’Neal (knee) has sat out three consecutive contests and is in jeopardy of missing a fourth. The story is the same for Haywood Highsmith (knee).

The Suns are not playing well, either. They had been on a five-game losing streak before finally getting back into the win column against Toronto on Sunday. Phoenix even lost to a slumping and unmotivated Milwaukee squad at home this past Saturday.

NBA Prediction: Who Will Win Nuggets vs. Suns?

There is no way to sugarcoat it for the Suns; they have simply been owned by the Nuggets this season. Phoenix dropped the first two contests by a combined 40 points, and it’s hard to see the home team turning the tide given all of its injury issues. Denver, on the other hand, is almost entirely healthy (only Peyton Watson is out with a hamstring issue). Let’s go with Nuggets 128, Suns 121.

NUGGETS

Away

128

SUNS

Home

121

Score
Predictions

Matchup