The Denver Nuggets have arguably the best center in basketball. Nikola Jokic is a four-time all-star, three-time All-NBA player and the defending league MVP. Jokic is essential to the success of his team, but it’s Denver’s other center who’s proven to be key lately.
Since DeMarcus Cousins joined the Nuggets in early January, Denver has gone on an unprecedented run. Cousins is averaging just 8.7 points and 6.1 rebounds per game, but he’s been crucial to the Nuggets’ success on the court. We break down why Boogie has been Denver’s X factor and how you can profit off it as an NBA bettor!
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Cousins’ Impact On The 2022 Nuggets
| With/Without | SU Record (%) | ATS Record (%) |
|---|---|---|
| With Cousins | 15-3 (83.3%) | 9-9 (50%) |
| Without Cousins | 26-25 (51.0%) | 23-28 (45.1%) |
Data courtesy of Odds Shark’s database as of March 16
While there’s a slight uptick in performance against the spread when Cousins plays for the Nuggets, the real profits can be found on the moneyline. Despite playing around 15 minutes per night, Cousins has had a massive impact on Denver’s rotation and the Nuggets’ ability to win games.
After playing to a near .500 record without Cousins, the Nuggets are 15-3 with Boogie in the lineup — a 68-win pace over the course of an entire season. If you bet $100 on the Nuggets moneyline for every Denver game Cousins has played this year, you’d be up $597.31 in profit.
Why Is Cousins Denver’s Key?
The Denver Nuggets have Jokic, but to thrive in the Northwest Division, teams need ample size. The Utah Jazz have Rudy Gobert, the Portland Trail Blazers have Jusuf Nurkic and the Minnesota Timberwolves have Karl-Anthony Towns.
Bringing Cousins in as a backup big has helped Denver hang with (and dominate) every team with size for 48 minutes every night. Cousins may not be the guy dropping 27 points and 12 rebounds per game like he did back in his Sacramento Kings days, but he allows the Nuggets to always have one of the most physical presences on the floor at all times.
As well, Cousins has rediscovered his shooting efficiency in 2021-22. His free-throw percentage (.755) is the highest it’s been since 2016-17, and his two-point percentage is back over .500 after a disastrous 2020-21.
How Has Cousins Impacted Jokic?
Cousins’ first game with the Nuggets was nothing special. It ended in a win for Denver, but Boogie posted just two points and six rebounds in 12 minutes on the court. What his debut did show, however, was a trend that’s continued all season as Nikola Jokic dropped 34 points against Detroit. Whenever Cousins plays, Jokic thrives — more than usual.
When Cousins doesn’t play, Jokic has averaged 25.9 points and 10.0 defensive rebounds per game since Boogie joined Denver. In the 17 games Cousins has played, Jokic drops 27.5 points and 11.1 defensive rebounds (both above his season averages). If Cousins is healthy, bet the OVER on Jokic props!
Cousins’ presence eases the load on both ends of the floor for Jokic, who hasn’t had a solid backup since Mason Plumlee left, allowing him to be more impactful on a per-minute basis.
You can find the latest NBA lines and lock in a Jokic prop bet at one of our top NBA sportsbooks, or lock in a bet over at Sportsbook:
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How To Bet On NBA Spreads
You can utilize this Nuggets betting info by betting on point totals or NBA spreads. The key to betting on NBA spreads is understanding how they work. In a basketball spread, you’re betting that the favorite (denoted by a minus sign) will win by a set number of points, or that the underdog (denoted by a plus sign) will win outright or lose by less than a set number of points. At the sportsbook you’ll notice NBA spread odds are listed like this:
- Denver Nuggets -6
- Toronto Raptors +6
In this example, the Nuggets are 6-point favorites. If you believe that the Nuggets will win by more than six points, you can bet on them to win. If you think the Raptors will win, or lose by less than six points, you should bet on them!
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Check out our Odds Calculator to see how much you’d win based on the odds and amount wagered, as well as the implied probability of all odds.
