The Cavaliers win if…
If the same level of effort from Tuesday is displayed again tonight the Cavaliers will give themselves a good chance to walk out with a win. Denver is a much more talented team, so that may not even be enough. The Cavs can not try and outscore Denver because they simply don’t have the firepower to keep up.
In order for the Cavs to be successful tonight it’ll have to start on the defensive end. If the Cavs are able to create turnovers like they did against the Hawks then they should be in this game late. Another night of seven guys scoring in double figures would also be nice, but the Cavs shouldn’t get too reliant on that type of offensive output consistently. Denver has play-makers at every level, so the Cavs will have to play their most complete game of the young season.
The Nuggets win if…
Denver is one of the more exciting teams in the NBA that has played with a chip on their shoulder to begin the season, missing the playoffs last season motivated this young team. The Nuggets have the ability to take Cleveland out of the game early if they get off to a hot start. There’s drama everywhere you look surrounding the Cavs so expect Denver to come out with their foot on the gas right away. The combination of Murray and Harris should look to put the Cavs guards in pick and roll situations all night long, especially when the rookie Collin Sexton is in the game. While Sexton has the potential to be a good NBA defender, he has struggled with covering the screen and roll early on in his season. Both of Denvers lead guards have the ability to knock down shots and take you off the dribble, so expect the Nuggets to exploit the Cavs guards early on.
The Nuggets like to run. Denver is at its best when they are able to get out and control the pace, especially in the fast break. With Cleveland turning the ball over as much as they have this season, don’t be surprised if Denver is a little more aggressive tonight as they try and speed up the turnover prone Cavaliers.
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