Updated Spurs vs Nuggets Series Price: Denver Listed as -210 Favorite After Tying Series

• Jamal Murray is averaging 24.0 points per game in the two series wins and just 11.5 points per game in the losses.
• The Denver Nuggets are once again favored to win the series now that they’ve tied it up at 2-2.
• The San Antonio Spurs are averaging 106.8 points per game in this series.

We knew that the Denver Nuggets offense was struggling entering the playoffs, ranking as the league’s worst scoring unit the final three weeks of the regular season.

Even so, they’ve managed to survive some scares and tie the San Antonio Spurs at 2-2. Who is the best bet here?

Spurs vs Nuggets Series Odds

*Odds taken April 21

Game 4 Was The Nuggets Best Contest

Momentum is with the Nuggets after their big Game 4 victory, which turned the tides on the previous series price. Considering their struggles this series, they might be somewhat lucky to be here.

They lost Game 1, trailed by 19 in the second half of Game 2 and lost Game 3 handily. Prior to Game 4, they really had just one good quarter – the fourth quarter of Game 2 – in this entire series.

DeMar DeRozan threw the ball at a ref, and not surprisingly since it’s the playoffs, completely missed pic.twitter.com/qJ9GnAkHOR

— NOTSportsCenter (@NOTSportsCenter) April 20, 2019

The Nuggets flexed their muscle in Game 4. After another slow start that saw them trailing 34-22 after one quarter, they put together an incredible three quarters the rest of the way. They outscored San Antonio 69-45 in the second and third quarter en route to an easy 117-103 win.

Murray The Key To Nuggets Success

There’s no question that Jamal Murray is the key to Denver’s success. We know that the Spurs will be mostly consistent on offense. They’ll be OK but unspectacular. The difference in the wins and losses has been the Nuggets offense and specifically, Murray.

In the two wins, Murray has scored 24.0 points per game while shooting 16-of-31 from the field. In the two losses, Murray has a total of 23 points and has gone 10-of-31 from the field.

Jamal Murray with the ? and the face after. NASTY.

(via @NBA)pic.twitter.com/gqPLHNdMs6

— Yahoo Sports NBA (@YahooSportsNBA) April 20, 2019

The assists are also crucial as he has just two assists in the two losses versus 10 in the two wins. Murray is the key to the Nuggets success and determining the winner of this series.

Nuggets Relying On Depth

Murray hasn’t been the only Nugget dipping in and out of this series. Nikola Jokic has been his only reliable player so far over the course of the four games in the series. As a result, head coach Mike Malone has had to rework his rotations to get try and get the offense going.

In Game 4, Torrey Craig played 37 minutes – the most he’s played since the middle of February – and he chipped in with 18 points and five three-pointers. He had just 18 points in the entire series before Game 4.

? Shooters Shoot: The Story of Jamal Murray’s Game 2 Perseverance#NBAPlayoffs #MileHighBasketball pic.twitter.com/6xYTUVrgeC

— Denver Nuggets (@nuggets) April 18, 2019

The issue is that the Nuggets are not getting consistent play from Will Barton, Paul Millsap and Gary Harris in this series. Barton didn’t start Game 3 (and was moved to the bench), Millsap had just two points in Game 4, while Harris had only eight points. Harris has shot just 6-for-22 from the field in the last two games.

If the Nuggets get everyone going San Antonio won’t have a shot. The issue is that Denver hasn’t been able to get everyone rolling at the same time.

Bet The Nuggets

This is not one of Gregg Popovich’s best teams, but the fact that the Spurs are tied 2-2 in this series is impressive. Still, the blown 19-point lead in Game 2 looms large. The Nuggets played their best in Game 4 and will carry that over into Game 5.

“Derrick White came out like he hadn’t eaten in two days…he came out hungry…”

Mike Malone calls out Jamal Murray, and expects him to answer the bell in Game 4. #MileHighBasketball #GoSpursGo pic.twitter.com/ctpjXNSFLj

— John Elizondo (@johndelizondo) April 19, 2019

San Antonio just doesn’t have the offense to compete here. Sure, if the Nuggets get two shaky offensive efforts in the next three, they could lose, but they seem to have figured things out. And if guys like Harris, Millsap or Barton are more efficient from the field, Game 5 won’t be that close. Bet the Nuggets to win this series.