Denver Nuggets vs. Indiana Pacers Prediction: Can Buddy Hield Make it Rain Against Nuggets?
The Denver Nuggets are heading on the road to battle the Indiana Pacers. Can Buddy Hield step up in Tyrese Haliburton's absence and score from deep against Denver? Ben Rajavuori brings his top prop pick in Nuggets vs. Pacers.
Ben Rajavuori - January 23, 2024, 5:20 PM EST
5 minDenver Nuggets vs. Indiana Pacers Prediction: Can Buddy Hield Make it Rain Against Nuggets?
The Indiana Pacers play host to the Denver Nuggets tonight in a clash between the Eastern and Western conferences. The Pacers currently sit in seventh place in the Eastern Conference with a 24–19 record. The Nuggets are 30-14 and sit in third place in the Western Conference. The Pacers are playing without star guard Tyrese Haliburton tonight. Who will step up in his absence?
Nuggets vs. Pacers Date, Time, and Where to Watch
- Date: January 23, 2024
- Game Time: 7:00 pm ET
- Where to Watch: NBA League Pass
Denver Nuggets vs. Indiana Pacers Prediction
Tyrese Haliburton has been struggling with a hamstring injury and will miss the next three games for the Pacers before being re-evaluated on Saturday. Haliburton was the leading scorer on the Pacers with 23.6 points per game. The Pacers also recently traded Bruce Brown. With these moves, tonight could be a big night for shooting guard Buddy Hield. Hield is averaging just 13 points per game, but he shoots the second-most threes per game, averaging 7.4 three-point attempts per game. With Haliburton sitting out, who averaged 8.43 three-point attempts per game, and Bruce Brown gone, Hield will be the main three-point shooter for the Pacers tonight. He has also been shooting better from three at home. Hield is making 3.1 threes on average per game on 7.5 attempts at home, shooting 41%, but he is making just 2.7 threes on the road on 7.2 attempts with a 37% rate on the road. In the game back on January 14th, the Pacers played the Nuggets on the road and Hield had nine three-point attempts, making just two. That was one of his worst three-point performances of the month, and I expect him to bounce back in this game at home. Over the last two games, Hield is a combined 11-19 from three. He is also shooting 40.7% from three in January, his best average of the season so far. We have seen Hield's three-point attempts tick up when Haliburton is not on the floor, and he should get heavy minutes with the Pacers thin at guard tonight. I will eat the little bit of juice that comes with this play and back Buddy Hield to hit at least three threes tonight.
Denver Nuggets vs. Indiana Pacers Prop Pick
Pick: Buddy Hield Over 2.5 Threes (-156) Click here to see which sportsbook has the best odds
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