The defending NBA champion Denver Nuggets get set to take on the Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado. They tip it off at 9:00 pm in what should be a very compelling contest on the hardwood. 

Bookmaker has installed Denver as a solid - 6.5 point favorite. 

The Nuggets (39-19) have ripped off three straight wins and are starting to resemble the team that won it all last season. They still have a long way to go, but knowing they have the game's best player on the floor night in and night out gives them hope they can make a deep run and perhaps repeat as champions. That player of course is Nikola Jokic who has been a dominant force the last several seasons.

He steps onto the floor averaging 26 points per game to go along with nine assists and close to 12 rebounds per game. He is a great player that loves to get his teammates involved and he can create his own shot from anywhere on the court. 

The Nuggets are a streaky shooting team but once they start to get their shots to fall they can score in spurts and easily go over 120 points when they have too. They also get some great production from point guard Jamal Murray who is contributing 20 points per night to go along with just under four rebounds and four assists. 

The Kings (33-24) have been a nice surprise this season and they are hoping to make some noise out of the Western Conference. They have a nice young mix of talent that has a ton of athleticism too. They have won three out of their last four games overall and now sit nine games over .500 on the season. 

They would love to get a nice signature win against a very strong Denver team. They know a win would give them a ton of confidence going forward too. 

On offense,they are paced by point guard De'Aaron Fox who has been as steady as they come over the last several seasons. The 26-year-old product out of Kentucky is averaging 21 points per game this season and has taken on more of a leadership role for the Kings, who are averaging around 118 points per game and will need to score at least 120 to have a chance in this one. 

Overall, look for Fox to push the pace and the tempo and also get Domantas Sabonis involved. He is also a consistent player and has done a great job on the glass as well. 

The Nuggets are 3-2 in their last five games and 3-2 in their last five games against the spread. They are also 12-18 in their road games against the number too. The totals have gone over in two out of their last five games and 11 out of their last 27 games at home. The Kings are 3-2 in their last five games and 2-3 in their last five games against the spread too. They are also 18-12 in. their road games against the spread but the totals have just gone over in three out of their last five games.