Tipping off at 6:00 p.m. ET in the final day of NBA Summer League action, the Denver Nuggets will take on the Toronto Raptors. While these teams did not qualify for the summer league championship, this is still an important consolation matchup as each young talent gives their final audition to solidify their NBA pathway.
DraftKings Sportsbook is offering odds for all the summer league matchups, including some player prop and team prop options depending on your location.
The Raptors enter as narrow 2.5-point favorites and hold -148 odds of winning outright on DraftKings Sportsbook. The Nuggets hold +124 odds of winning outright, with the game total set at 188.5 points.
Nuggets vs. Raptors preview, prediction
The Denver Nuggets enter with a 2-2 record across their four games in Las Vegas. They opened up the action with a 97-86 loss at the hands of the Houston Rockets. Denver led for just 6% of the matchup and shot a concerning 4-for-22 (18%) from beyond the three-point arc. The Nuggets bounced back with a 101-82 win over the Timberwolves the following day, of which they led for 85% of the matchup. They eclipsed triple-digits in the following game as well, beating the Oklahoma City Thunder 106-103 in a wire-to-wire victory. Most recently, Denver fell 108-101 to the Portland Trail Blazers in a competitive battle that each team led for 42% of the game.
35th overall pick Trevon Brazile headlines the production for the summer Nuggets, posting averages of 18.7 points and 8.3 rebounds per game. Bryce Hopkins and K.J. Simpson each add 18.0 points per game, with Hopkins adding 6.5 rebounds and Simpson providing 6.5 assists. Mark Sears and Erik Stevenson are each also averaging 11+ points per game, while Jahm’i’us Ramsey and Osayi Ossify have also had some encouraging flashes. Keep an eye on any injury news leading up to tip-off as Denver will likely consider resting some of their more proven players considering the ;ack of stakes.
The Toronto Raptors hold a 3-1 record in summer league. They came up short in overtime against the Boston Celtics in a thrilling 83-80 loss to kick off the action in Las Vegas. Toronto got back in the win column with a 102-89 victory over the Houston Rockets in the following game, in which they led for 72% of the matchup and extended their lead to as many as 18. The Raptors then edged out the Indiana Pacers in a 93-92 win in the following game, in which they led for 73% of the game. In their most recent summer league matchup, the Raptors defeated the Heat 99-90. Toronto stretched its lead to as many as 17 and maintained control for 73% of the matchup.
Seth Lundy has headlined the production, averaging 20.0 points and 3.8 rebounds per game. First-round pick Allen Graves has shined, adding 16.8 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 2.3 steals per matchup. Tyreke Key adds 13.0 points per game of his own, while Nimari Burnett and Nate Bittle have also had some encouraging flashes. Chucky Hepburn and Jamarion Sharp are also names to note. Collin Murray-Boyles and Alijah Martin were on the Raptors’ summer league roster, but have yet to make an appearance.
Nuggets vs. Raptors pick, best bet
Inconsistent play is to be expected in summer league, but the Raptors have been an exception to this. The organization deserves credit for doing a nice job establishing an identity and providing a high floor of what to expect. This has resulted in them controlling each game, holding a lead for 73% of the matchup or greater in all four of their games played in Las Vegas. Toronto has especially been committed on the defensive end, winning the turnover battle in every game, and doing an excellent job of speeding up their opponents’ offensive process.
Denver has been much more up-and-down across their Las Vegas tenure, with some stretches of impressive offense and others where turnovers have bogged down its outlook. Trevon Brazile’s activity on both sides of the ball has popped, but the Arkansas product remains a bit limited in his self-creation. He also has shot an uncharacteristic 47.4% from beyond the three-point arc, which is the best of any player on the Nuggets’ summer league roster with a minimum of four attempts. No other player is shooting better than 38.5% from deep.
Expect Toronto’s defense to be the story in this matchup, as they continue digging in on this side of the ball and make life difficult on the makeshift Denver attack. Turnovers have been a major weakness of the Nuggets, and the Raptors have been opportunistic in generating these chances. Expect this to lead to plenty of fast-break chances and for the Raptors to be able to gradually extend the lead. Don’t blink at the 2.5-point spread, and expect Toronto to look like the better team, as has been the case across all of summer league.
