Indiana Pacers Vs. Denver Nuggets: Predictions, Starting Lineups (1/14/24)
Can the Indiana Pacers put together their tenth win in their past 11 games despite being without their All-Star point guard Tyrese Haliburton and being on the road against the Denver Nuggets, the defending champions? Take a look at our Indiana Pacers vs. Denver Nuggets predictions, betting picks, and complete game analysis below to find out!
Indiana Pacers Vs. Denver Nuggets Prediction
In the past ten games of the 2023-24 regular season, no team has a better record than the Indiana Pacers (9-1.) As winners of nine of their past ten, the Pacers have finally shaken the hangover from their loss in the In-Season Tournament Championship against Los Angeles (Lakers.) Further, their only loss in that span was against the Boston Celtics, objectively the best team in the NBA. That’s an impressive stretch.
The only problem is this: Tyrese Haliburton is still out with a hamstring injury. Since the beginning of the 2022-23 regular season, the Pacers are 10-21 when Haliburton has been unable to suit up. Additionally, Indiana’s net rating in those games has been an abysmal -7.1, which would put it just above the ranks of teams like San Antonio and Washington if those games were all in the same season.
Obviously, the Pacers are a better team this season overall and don’t have to rely solely on Haliburton to carry them to wins, as Andrew Nembhard and T.J. McConnell are quality bench guards; however, the ‘Cers are playing the defending champions, not Atlanta, Washington, or another bottom-dweller.
While they have won their past three games without Haliburton (he played for part of the game against Boston), look at two of those three opponents: Washington and Atlanta. Those two teams are atrocious, so those games don’t give us much insight into how the Pacers will actually fare for the next week or two.
Lastly, Denver has a 16-4 record and the fourth-highest net rating in the NBA at home. The Nuggets shoot a blistering 51% from the field and 39% from behind the arc in front of their home fans. Indiana has lost six consecutive games versus Denver, and we don’t like the ‘Cers to snap that on the road here.
Indiana Pacers Vs. Denver Nuggets Prediction: Nuggets -10 (-110)
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Indiana Pacers Vs. Denver Nuggets Best Odds
The Denver Nuggets have one of the cleanest injury reports in the NBA; they will miss rookie rotational forward Julian Strawther due to a minor knee injury and Vlatko Cancar (knee), who has missed the entirety of the 2023-24 regular season but will have everyone else available.
Meanwhile, Indiana will be without its All-Star starting point guard and offensive engine Tyrese Haliburton after he suffered a hamstring injury that looked much worse than it was. Thank goodness. Further, the Pacers will miss Jarace Walker due to an unspecified illness.
Indiana Pacers Starting Lineup
PG: Andrew Nembhard
SG: Bruce Brown
SF: Aaron Nesmith
PF: Obi Toppin
C: Myles Turner
Denver Nuggets Starting Lineup
PG: Jamal Murray
SG: Kentavious Caldwell-Pope
SF: Michael Porter Jr.
PF: Aaron Gordon
C: Nikola Jokic
Indiana Pacers Vs. Denver Nuggets Injuries
Even though the Indiana Pacers are riding one of the hottest winning streaks (winners of nine of their past ten games) in the NBA, they will enter the “Mile High City” as 10.5-point road underdogs on Sunday afternoon. Denver has Moneyline odds of -575 to string together another home win, while the Pacers are +425 to win outright away from Gainbridge Fieldhouse against the defending champions. The point total for this matchup is understandably high at 238.5 points, as the Pacers rank first in the NBA in pace. Indiana regularly finishes with 120-130 points as a team due to its tempo.
