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Raptors host struggling Nuggets on Monday
By: Zach Cohen - StatFox
Published: 12/8/2014  at  4:34:00 AM
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DENVER NUGGETS (9-11)

at TORONTO RAPTORS (15-5)

Tip-off: Monday, 7:35 p.m. ET
Line: Toronto -9, Total: 214

The Nuggets will be looking to end their three-game losing skid when they visit the Raptors north of the border on Monday night.

Denver traveled to Atlanta on Sunday and lost 96-84 as a 6.5-point underdog. The team has now dropped three straight games (1-2 ATS) and has failed to score more than 90 points in each of the past two contests. The Nuggets will need to find a way to get their offense going against Toronto, which is coming off a 105-91 home loss on Friday against Cleveland as 4.5-point favorites. The Raptors had won-and-covered in two straight before running into the Cavs. Since the start of 2012, these teams have split wins SU and ATS. Denver won 112-98 as a 2-point underdog in its last trip to Toronto and it has now covered in two straight and three of the past four meetings in Canada. Denver is 7-3 (SU and ATS) in Toronto dating back to 2004. Over the past three seasons, the Nuggets are 15-8 ATS after trailing in their previous game by 15 or more points at the half. The Raptors, meanwhile, are 4-0 ATS this season after four straight games of committing 14 or less turnovers. They are also 15-8 ATS against Northwest Division opponents over the last three seasons. While Denver has many more injuries in this game with G Randy Foye (quad) and C Jusuf Nurkic (personal) both out, plus PF Kenneth Faried (back) and Nate Robinson (back) both questionable, Toronto will once again be missing star SG DeMar DeRozan (19.4 PPG, 4.2 RPG, 1.4 SPG) with a groin injury.

Can the Raptors win by double-digits without DeRozan in the lineup? For the answer, connect to The Platinum Sheet for all the Expert picks throughout the entire 2014-15 season. While StatFox Forecaster has a stellar 63% ATS record (60-35) in featured games this season, the five experts have also caught fire with a collective 79% ATS mark (27-7) in NBA Best Bets since Nov. 29. StatFox Gary is 6-0 ATS during this timeframe to give him a 62% ATS record (18-11) in NBA Best Bets this season, while StatFox Brian is 7-1 ATS since Nov. 29 to improve to 57% ATS (17-13) in NBA Best Bets this season. Also during this surge, StatFox Dave is 6-1 ATS while StatFox Scott is 5-2 ATS.

The Nuggets had seemingly found their footing in recent weeks with a stretch where they won seven of eight contests (5-2-1 ATS), but they’ve since lost three games in a row. PF Kenneth Faried (11.1 PPG, 6.7 RPG) did not play in the loss to Atlanta and might not play on Monday. Faried's absence would be crucial, as he is one of their best rebounders and could give Denver a big positional advantage at power forward, where the Raptors aren’t as talented. PG Ty Lawson (15.8 PPG, 10.3 APG, 1.5 SPG) will now need to play at an extremely high level in order to help his team get a big road victory in a tough spot. Lawson will be matched up against the versatile Kyle Lowry, so he will need to be disciplined. Foul trouble for Lawson would likely give the Nuggets no chance of winning. SF Wilson Chandler (14.5 PPG, 6.2 RPG) will need to be on his game in this one as well. Chandler had 29 points and 10 rebounds in a loss to Atlanta and is now averaging 18.6 PPG and 7.2 RPG in 30.8 MPG over the past five contests. He got an increase in minutes with Faried out for the game, and he could be in for a big workload against Toronto as well.

The Raptors are coming off of a tough loss at home to the Cavaliers, but now must turn their attention to a struggling Nuggets team. PG Kyle Lowry (20.7 PPG, 6.9 APG, 4.9 RPG) had 22 points, nine assists and four rebounds against the Cavs and is playing some excellent basketball of late, averaging 28.4 PPG and 7.8 APG over the past five contests. Lowry has the toughest matchup of any of his teammates with Ty Lawson in town. C Jonas Valanciunas (11.5 PPG, 8.1 RPG, 1.3 BPG) will need to step it up for the Raptors quickly. Over the past five games, the big man is averaging just 9.6 PPG on 43.2% FG. He is a much better player than he’s shown as of late and the Raptors could really use his size to exploit the Nuggets on defense. inconsistent SF Terrence Ross (11.4 PPG, 3.0 RPG) had just six points and six rebounds against the Cavaliers, but has also had two 20-point games in the past five contests. With DeMar DeRozan (groin) out, Toronto was hoping that Ross could step it up and fill in for their All-Star, but he has yet to do so.


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