The Toronto Raptors host the Denver Nuggets at Scotiabank Arena on Wednesday night, with tipoff set for 7:30 PM ET. The Raptors enter at 20-14, sitting 4th in the East, while the Nuggets come in at 22-10, sitting 3rd in the West.
This is the first meeting between the Raptors and Nuggets this season, and they’ll see each other again later on the schedule.
Even with the injury cloud hanging over this one, the headline talent still pops. Brandon Ingram has averaged 21.9 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 3.9 assists this season, while Scottie Barnes has posted 19.1 points, 8.5 rebounds, and 5.1 assists. For the Nuggets, Nikola Jokic has put up 28.9 points, 12.0 rebounds, and 10.9 assists, and Jamal Murray has added 25.2 points, 7.0 assists, and 4.4 rebounds per game.
Injury Report
Raptors
Jakob Poeltl: Out (lower back strain)
Nuggets
Nikola Jokic: Out (left knee injury management)
Aaron Gordon: Out (right hamstring strain)
Christian Braun: Out (left ankle sprain)
Cameron Johnson: Out (right knee injury management)
Tamar Bates: Out (left foot surgery)
Julian Strawther: Probable (illness)
Why The Raptors Have The Advantage
The Raptors’ edge in this matchup starts with one simple thing: they can attack the Nuggets’ weakened rotation with waves of creators, and they don’t need to play perfect to win the shot-quality battle.
Ingram and Barnes obviously set the ceiling, but the Raptors’ real leverage comes from the “next three” showing up with actual production, not just vibes.
Immanuel Quickley has averaged 16.1 points, 6.4 assists, and 4.3 rebounds, and he’s doing it on 43.6% from the field with 35.9% from three. That matters here because Quickley’s pace forces the Nuggets to defend in space. If they load up on Ingram’s midrange touches or Barnes’ downhill drives, Quickley becomes the swing who punishes the scramble.
RJ Barrett has also been a steady second-side hammer. He’s at 18.9 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 3.8 assists, shooting 50.0% from the field and 35.9% from three. If the Raptors get him into mismatches against a thinner Nuggets wing group, he can live in the paint and tilt the whistle.
Then there’s Sandro Mamukelashvili, who has quietly turned into a real pressure point in the rotation. He’s averaging 10.7 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 1.7 assists, while hitting 52.8% from the field and 40.0% from three. With Poeltl out, those minutes matter even more, because Mamu’s spacing can pull a big out of the lane and open driving highways for Barnes and Barrett.
If the Raptors get their usual balance, this becomes a game where the Nuggets have to survive multiple scoring threats at once, and that’s a tough ask right now.
Why The Nuggets Have The Advantage
The Nuggets’ path is narrower, but it’s still real: Murray’s creation plus enough shooting around him to keep the Raptors from loading up every possession.
Tim Hardaway Jr. is a huge part of that math. He’s averaging 13.3 points, 2.3 rebounds, and 1.4 assists, while shooting 46.5% from the field and 41.0% from three. If he hits early, the Raptors can’t just send extra help at Murray without paying for it.
Peyton Watson brings the other kind of value, the stuff that flips possessions. He’s at 10.7 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 1.5 assists, shooting 51.1% from the field and 39.0% from three, plus 1.0 steals and 1.0 blocks per game. In a game where the Nuggets need energy plays, Watson’s activity can steal extra points that don’t require half-court genius.
Bruce Brown rounds it out as the connector who keeps things functional. He’s averaging 7.5 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 2.1 assists on 47.7% from the field. Those numbers won’t scare anybody, but his ability to rebound his position and defend multiple spots matters when the rotation gets squeezed.
If the Nuggets keep turnovers down and turn this into a make-or-miss shooting night, they can absolutely hang around.
Raptors vs. Nuggets Prediction
This feels like a “handle business” spot for the Raptors. They’ve got more healthy creation, more playable depth, and more ways to score without relying on one guy going nuclear.
Prediction: Raptors 117, Nuggets 104
