Will the ‘Joker’ silence the Barclays Center?

Update: Sunday night’s game has been postponed at short notice. A new date has not yet been set.

The Brooklyn Nets will take on the Denver Nuggets on 20.12.2021. The focus of the exciting duel was actually on the exchange of blows between the two superstars Kevin Durant on the side of the hosts and Nikola Jokic on the side of the guests, but KD will have to pass.

The visiting team from Colorado have also been waiting for their next win for three matches – can they do it this time?

Brooklyn Nets – statistics & current form

The Nets currently have Kevin Durant to thank. The “Slim Reaper” carries the team and compensates with regular very strong performances for the many absences that Brooklyn had to cope with recently.

For example, no player in the NBA tops his average output of 29.7 points per game and his 51 points against Detroit last week set a new season record for KD.

With the absence of James Harden, who ranks second in the league in assists after “CP3”, Durant is currently having to step up as a playmaker, but the power forward also has this skill in his repertoire.

For example, he delivered eight assists in the penultimate game against the Philadelphia 76ers. In the last game against Orlando, however, KD had to miss due to an ankle injury and the Brooklyn team promptly lost to the Magic. He will now miss again against Denver, because even if the ankle would hold again, he could not start now because of the inclusion in the safety protocol.

However, the news that Kyrie Irving is expected to play for the Nets again gives hope for an improvement in the personnel situation for the hosts. “Uncle Drew” was kicked out of the squad at the beginning of the season because he cannot play in home games as a non-vaccinated player, as this is not permitted by the regulations in the “Big Apple”.

However, he has now returned to the squad, but he remains unavailable for the home games, which means he will not yet be able to help head coach Steve Nash’s squad in the upcoming game.

Denver Nuggets – Statistics & current form

Nikola Jokic on the Nuggets’ side is the equivalent of Durant’s role with the Nets. The Malone squad is also currently affected by numerous absences, which is why the reigning MVP is particularly challenged. However, like KD, the Serbian centre is doing justice to the increased workload at Denver.

In the scoring rankings, Jokic ranks sixth with an average of 26.3 points and in rebounds, the “Joker” is only surpassed by Rudy Gobert from Utah. Stifle Tower averages 14.8 boards per game, while Jokic has 13.5.

In the recent win in Atlanta he was again the guarantor for the success. Although he only played 26 minutes – that’s all he needed as the Nuggets already had a clear 18-point lead at the break – he ended up with a double-double in points and rebounds, among other things.

Brooklyn Nets – Denver Nuggets Tip

The last win for the visitors at the Barclays Center dates back more than four years and since then the Nuggets have suffered three defeats. At the moment, however, the chances of a win are excellent, as the home side is shorthanded. This shortcoming also applies to Denver, but in a less pronounced form.

For the clash at the Barclays Center between the Brooklyn Nets and Denver Nuggets, the forecast includes an away win with at least a nine-point lead. In contrast to their opponents, who will be without KD, the franchise from the Mile High City can rely on their top player Nikola Jokic.

In addition, the visitors have been strong lately anyway: In their recent win against Atlanta, they delivered a season-high in points as well as assists. Bet365 offers betting odds of 1.90 for the duel between the Nets and Nuggets.