Suns vs. Nuggets Odds
| Suns Odds | +4 |
| Nuggets Odds | -4 |
| Moneyline | +146 / -174 |
| Over/Under | 230.5 |
| Time | 10:30 p.m. ET |
| TV | ABC |
| Odds via FanDuel. Get up-to-the-minute NBA odds here. | |
The last game on the Christmas Day schedule features a pair of teams that have been fixtures in the Western Conference Playoffs in the Phoenix Suns and Denver Nuggets.
The Suns swept the Nuggets in the 2021 Western Conference Semifinals. However, the Nuggets enter Christmas tied for first place in the West, while the Suns are fourth.
Suns guard Devin Booker had missed the last three games with a groin injury, but he told reporters he'll be back on Sunday. However, as of this writing, the Suns had not submitted an injury report. Due to how important Booker is to the Suns offense (and the lack of value on Chris Paul) and the uncertainty at the time, I focused on Denver in this Suns vs. Nuggets Same Game Parlay for Christmas.
NBA Same Game Parlay Odds
The Parlay: (+890) FanDuel
- Nikola Jokic To Record 10+ Rebounds (-300)
- Nikola Jokic To Record 8+ Assists (-230)
- Michael Porter Jr. 2+ Made 3s (-185)
- Jamal Murray To Score 20+ Points (-105)
- Aaron Gordon to Record 6+ Rebounds (-175)
Nikola Jokic to Record 10+ Rebounds and 8+ Assists
In nine career regular season matchups against DeAndre Ayton, Nikola Jokic is averaging 26.2 points, 10.9 rebounds and seven assists. However, many of those games over the last two seasons have come without either Jamal Murray, Michael Porter Jr., or both. When Jokic plays with Murray and Porter Jr., he takes on more of a role as a facilitator. After all, he calls himself a "fat point guard" at heart.
This season, Jokic is averaging 9.3 assists per game and ranks third in the league. His line is at 8.5, and he has gone over in six of his 10 games. However, he has recorded eight assists in each of his last 10 games, including Friday when Murray and Porter Jr. returned to the lineup. In a parlay, I'll drop Jokic by one assist and increase the hit rate from 60% to 100% over his last 10 games.
Jokic has also dominated the glass this season, averaging 10.9 rebounds per game and ranking sixth in the league. He has upped his game of late, averaging 12.9 rebounds over his last 10 games and 14.6 rebounds over his last five.
The booster in there is the 27-rebound performance he had against Charlotte. However, he also has had games of 12, 13, 14 and 16 rebounds of late. He has recorded 10 rebounds in eight of his last 10 games, and that is a safe addition to a parlay.
Michael Porter Jr. 2+ Made 3-Pointers
Michael Porter Jr. missed 13 games with a heel strain. He returned on Friday night against Portland, and it did not take him long to resume doing what he does — knock down jumpers. He finished with 18 points and was 2-for-6 from beyond the arc.
Porter Jr. has made at least one 3 in all 17 games he has played in this season. He has made two in 12-of-17 games this season. This season, he is averaging 2.9 3s on 6.8 attempts per game. He will be facing a Suns team that ranks 22nd in 3-point percentage defense. Two 3s for Porter Jr. should be a safe addition to a parlay.
Jamal Murray To Score 20+ Points
Murray also returned to the lineup on Friday, though unlike Porter Jr., his absence was just one game. He scored 25 points on 9-of-17 shooting from the field. Murray has been on of late with four 20-point games in his last six games. However, the two misses were duds with five and six point outings.
Hopefully, we get the good version of Murray on Christmas. Against Phoenix, I expect we will. Murray has not faced the Suns since 2021, but he has done well against them in his career, averaging 21.1 points in 18 career games. He has scored 20 or more in six of the last seven meetings and finished with 18 in the other.
With Porter Jr. back in the lineup, he figures to draw Mikal Bridges and leave Chris Paul on Murray. I like Murray's chances in that matchup.
Aaron Gordon To Record 6+ Rebounds
In previous matchups, Aaron Gordon has drawn the Devin Booker assignment. That often left him too tired to do anything on offense. With KCP on the Nuggets now, he should draw Booker if he plays. Gordon has also been scoring well, but he drops to the fourth option with Murray and Porter Jr. back in the lineup.
Gordon has also been rebounding at a high level this season, averaging 6.4 rebounds per game. He also has recorded six rebounds in 18 of 28 games this season. That includes four of his past five games. The Suns are middle of the pack (14th) in rebounds allowed, but 20th in offensive rebounds allowed. Gordon is averaging 2.2 offensive rebounds and could attack the Suns. There might be a few opportunities for offensive rebounds on the weakside if the Suns throw extra attention at Jokic on a few possessions.
If Gordon pulls down six rebounds to complete this parlay, it will be a very nice Christmas for all of us.
