The Denver Nuggets enjoyed another successful campaign in 2020-21, finishing third in the Western Conference with a 47-25 record. Their championship aspirations were derailed by Jamal Murray‘s late-season ACL tear, however, leaving them without their starting point guard for a postseason run that ended at the hands of the Phoenix Suns in the Western Conference Semifinals.
While Murray remains sidelined to start the year, he hopes to return at some point this season, which would give Denver a considerable boost. In the meantime, the Nuggets still boast a potent offense featuring Michael Porter Jr., Aaron Gordon, and reigning MVP Nikola Jokic.
After a relatively quiet offseason, can Denver remain one of the NBA’s top teams until Murray returns? Let’s dive in with our Nuggets predictions and best bets for the 2021-22 NBA season.
Please note that all odds are current as of Thursday, October 14.
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Nuggets Win Total Prediction 2021-2022
Nuggets Over 47.5 Wins (-120) at BetMGM
The Nuggets have been remarkably consistent over the last three years, posting a winning percentage between .630 and .660 every season. Using that as a benchmark, we can reasonably expect Denver to win around 50-55 games this year.
While Denver’s ceiling is considerably lower with Murray on the sidelines, its floor is still incredibly high. The Nuggets actually had a higher winning percentage without Murray during the regular season last year, going 16-8 (.667) with him in street clothes compared to 31-17 (.646) when he was in the lineup.
Assuming the rest of its stars stay healthy, Denver is more than capable of playing winning basketball until he’s back.
Nuggets Win Total Pick 2021-2022: Over
Denver has enough depth on offense and defense to survive until Murray returns. If Jokic continues to play at an MVP level, this team should win 50+ games.
Nuggets Make NBA Playoffs Prediction 2021-2022
Nuggets To Make Playoffs (-650) at Betfred
Denver has been one of the best teams in the NBA over the past several years, finishing as a top-three seed in the Western Conference three years in a row. With most of their roster still intact from last season, the Nuggets would have to fall pretty far to miss the playoffs this year.
The real key to this bet is Jokic. As long as he’s healthy and playing well, he’s capable of carrying the Nuggets to the playoffs regardless of when Murray comes back or how the rest of the roster performs.
Nuggets Make NBA Playoffs Pick 2021-2022: Yes
Even if Murray misses most of the season, the Nuggets have too much talent to miss the playoffs. This is a balanced team with an elite offense that plays solid defense and rebounds well.
Nuggets To Win NBA Championship Prediction 2021-2022
Nuggets To Win NBA Championship (+2500) at Caesars
After reaching the 2020 Western Conference Finals, Denver was a legitimate title contender last year before Murray went down. Even without him, the Nuggets still managed to advance to the Conference Semifinals.
Assuming Murray returns at some point this season, his presence will give Denver a massive jolt. He’ll also be relatively well-rested come playoff time after saving his body the wear and tear of a full 82-game season.
Murray is the X-Factor here. If he comes back healthy and returns to form, these odds are going to get a lot shorter. Lock this bet in now while there’s still plenty of value to be had.
Nuggets NBA Championship Pick 2021-2022: Yes
Don’t sleep on the Nuggets. If Murray comes back and they add a key piece or two at the trade deadline, they’ll be serious championship contenders.
- Read our full 2021-22 NBA Champion Predictions & Best Bets.
If Jamal Murray comes back healthy this season, he’ll give the Denver Nuggets’ championship odds a significant boost. (Image: USA TODAY Sports)
Nuggets & Player Prop Predictions 2021-2022
Nuggets To Win Northwest Division (+320) at DraftKings
The Nuggets missed out on a third straight division title last year, finishing five games behind the Utah Jazz.
While the Jazz are a great team, they’re unlikely to finish with the best regular-season record in the NBA again. They were exposed in the playoffs, losing to the Los Angeles Clippers in six games in the Conference Semifinals.
Utah should come back to earth a bit this year after taking the league by surprise last year. Meanwhile, look for Denver to reclaim the division, especially if Murray comes back strong and puts them over the top.
Nuggets To Win Western Conference (+900) at DraftKings
For all their recent regular-season success, the Nuggets have never reached the NBA Finals in the history of their franchise. They came close two seasons ago, only to be stopped by LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers in the Conference Finals.
James isn’t quite the dominant force he used to be, however, and the Western Conference is up for grabs. With a healthy Murray, the Nuggets have as much talent as anybody and are certainly capable of winning it.
Murray’s injury prevented Denver from reaching its full potential last year, but this year we will see how far it can go.
Nikola Jokic To Win 2021-22 NBA MVP Award (+1500) at DraftKings
Jokic took his game to new heights last year, setting career highs in just about every meaningful category. He was tremendously efficient and versatile, finishing with 26.4 points, 10.8 rebounds, and 8.3 assists per game on 56.6 percent shooting.
With Murray out to begin the season, Jokic will need to carry a heavy load again this year. That could lead to more eye-popping numbers for Jokic, who will get extra credit from the voters for carrying his team to the postseason again.
It’s also not uncommon for players to win the award in consecutive years. There have been six back-to-back MVP winners in the past 20 years, and Jokic could very well be the seventh.
- Read our full 2021-22 NBA MVP Predictions & Best Bets.
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