Suns vs. Nuggets NBA expert prediction and odds for Tuesday, March 5 (Trust Denver at

The best matchup of the night in the NBA takes place in Denver, as the Denver Nuggets (24-5 at home) host Kevin Durant and the Phoenix Suns. 

As has been the case for Phoenix most of this season, one of its Big 3 won’t play in this game after Devin Booker suffered an ankle injury in Sunday’s loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder. 

That’s led to the Suns being set as road underdogs in this one, and they’ll need to find a way to keep up with a Denver team that has won six in a row and hasn’t lost since returning from the All-Star break.

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Let’s take a look at the odds – and my best bet – for this matchup:

Suns injury report

Nuggets injury report

Phoenix Suns

Bradley Beal: With Booker out, a lot more responsibility is going to be on Beal, who has missed his fair share of time this season. Beal had 31 points and made three shots from beyond the arc in the team’s loss to OKC. I’d expect him to have a major role handling the ball in this one. 

Denver Nuggets

Nikola Jokic: You’d be hard pressed to find someone playing better than Nikola Jokic since the All-Star break. In six games, Jokic is averaging 24.8 points, 14.2 rebounds and 11.7 assists per game, picking up a triple-double in four of those matchups. He had 21 points and 16 boards in an eight-point win over the Suns in the lone meeting between these teams this season. 

I love Denver in this spot against a shorthanded Phoenix team. 

The Nuggets may not have the best record against the spread as a home favorite, but they are winning those games by an average of 9.8 points per game. 

Meanwhile, Phoenix is coming off back-to-back home losses to Houston and OKC, and the team fell behind early in both matchups, struggling to hang on after coming back in the second half. 

That’s going to be an issue against Denver, as the team is No. 1 in the NBA in net rating in the first quarter at home. If the Nuggets get off to a fast start at Ball Arena, Phoenix may not have the firepower to come back with Booker out. 

The Suns’ offensive rating is just 20th in the NBA in their last 10 games, and it may suffer more without DBook. 

I love Denver to handle business at home tonight. 

Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

Find Peter Dewey's NBA betting record here (futures included). You can also follow my daily plays on BetStamp here.