Charlie Cummings breaks down his prediction and pick for Friday’s game between the San Antonio Spurs and the Denver Nuggets.
Before the season, this game was circled as an incredible showdown between the two best centers in the league. Unfortunately, we won’t be seeing any Victor Wembanyama in this game. But it’s still a matchup between two playoff contenders in the West, with Nikola Jokic playing peak hoops. Gear up for some primo basketball.
The Nuggets are 7.5-point favorites on DraftKings Sportsbook. They’re priced at -310 on the moneyline, while the Spurs are +250 underdogs. The total for this game is set at 238.5 points. Let’s get into my preview, prediction, and pick for this Spurs vs. Nuggets game.
Spurs vs. Nuggets prediction, preview
Denver has been the pre-eminent offensive power in the league this season. That starts and ends with Nikola Jokic. As he charges towards his fourth MVP award, the Joker is putting up 29.6 points per game on career highs in two-point and three-point percentage. On top of that, he leads the league in rebounds and assists per game. Just when you think he’s hit his ceiling, Jokic kicks things into another gear. He’s the most dominant offensive force in the game. Don’t just take it from me.
“There has not been a more dominant, complete player that I’ve played against.”
-LeBron James on Nikola Jokic
Probably the highest praise Jokic has ever gotten. pic.twitter.com/f4XAnlaxFA
— Swipa (@SwipaCam) November 28, 2025
Figuring out how to deal with Jokic and company would be a lot easier if the Spurs had the best defensive player in the world. It’s been two weeks without Wemby, but the Spurs have found a way to roll on. It’s challenging to evaluate a team when its best player is down. They’ve won four of their five games since he hit the sidelines, but this is San Antonio’s biggest test during this stretch.
Denver’s injury problems have to be mentioned as well. Two of their starters — Christian Braun and Aaron Gordon — are on the shelf for extended periods. It’s going to test their defensive infrastructure and the floor-raising ability of Nikola Jokic.
Spurs vs. Nuggets pick, best bet
This is far too much Nikola Jokic for the Spurs to handle without Wemby. He’s going to create an endless amount of shots for his teammates while going to work in the paint and on the glass. San Antonio’s best hope is to get elite production from De’Aaron Fox, and I’m not counting on that.
Best Bet: Denver Nuggets -7.5 (-105)