Cleveland Cavaliers vs Denver Nuggets Prediction & Match Preview - February 10th, 2021 | NBA Season 2020-21
The Denver Nuggets will continue their run of home games when they host the struggling Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday night at the Ball Arena.
Both sides head into this matchup on the back of losses and will be looking to reverse their dip in form.
Nikola Jokic will be aiming to record yet another double-double in his monstrous season, while the Cleveland Cavaliers will be relying on their guard pairing of Darius Garland and Collin Sexton to provide offensive firepower.
Match Details
Fixture: Cleveland Cavaliers vs Denver Nuggets - NBA Season 2020-21
Date & Time: Wednesday, February 10th, 2021 9:00 PM ET. (Thursday 7:30 AM IST)
Venue: Ball Arena, Denver, CO
Cleveland Cavaliers Preview
The Cleveland Cavaliers have let their positive start to the season slip away after losing 8 of their last ten matchups. In that time, they have had to face the Phoenix Suns, the LA Clippers, the LA Lakers and the Milwaukee Bucks twice, with their schedule not easing up as they continue their West Coast road trip.
Despite the tough fixtures, the Cavs are simply not scoring enough outside of Darius Garland, Andre Drummond and Collin Sexton's displays and are currently ranked bottom in offensive efficiency.
Having said that, the Cleveland Cavaliers have young talent and could finish in the playoffs after acquiring Jarrett Allen. They may look to bring in some additional perimeter shooting as rumors surrounding the future of Andre Drummond continue to do the rounds.
Key Player - Collin Sexton
The Cleveland Cavaliers' third-year guard Collin Sexton has popped off this season, averaging 23.6 points, 4.1 assists and 1 steal.
Already a promising talent, Sexton has continued to develop his game, improving his field goal percentage while shooting 43.4% from the 3-point line.
Forming a strong partnership with Darius Garland, the two could be the pivotal building blocks of the Cleveland Cavaliers' future.
Sexton has proven that he can be consistent and has the ability to score against any opponent - including 27 against the Clippers last week.
Cleveland Cavaliers Predicted Lineup
G Collin Sexton, G Darius Garland, F Isaac Okoro, F Jarrett Allen, C Andre Drummond
Denver Nuggets Preview
The Denver Nuggets are on a dismal run of form themselves, having lost 4 of their last 5 games, and have dropped to 8th place in the West. While their offense is yet to hit the heights of last season, Nikola Jokic has done his best to keep things positive for the team.
Two fixtures against the Cleveland Cavaliers and the OKC Thunder are up next before the Denver Nuggets' credentials are properly tested with matchups at home to the LA Lakers and on the road in Boston.
Facing the reigning champions on Thursday, the Nuggets offense was smothered to only 93 points. This issue will need to be addressed if the Denver Nuggets are to come up against the LA Lakers in the postseason this year.
Key Player - Nikola Jokic
The Denver Nuggets' Serbian center keeps getting better with each passing week and sits firmly among the favorites to win this year's MVP award.
In the past 4 games, Nikola Jokic has put up a 47-point performance in a win over the Utah Jazz and a career-high 50-point display against the Sacramento Kings. He also scored 35 points against Giannis and co.
The NBA's media is running out of superlatives to describe the big man's all-around game. Jokic is the embodiment of a modern center in the league, averaging 27.5 points, 11.5 rebounds and 8.5 assists.
Not only is he putting up career-high numbers, the 25-year-old is also shooting at 40% from beyond the arc as he continues to add dimensions to his game.
Denver Nuggets Predicted Lineup
G Jamal Murray, G Will Barton, F Paul Millsap, F Michael Porter Jr., C Nikola Jokic
Cavs vs Nuggets Match Prediction
It is difficult to see past a Denver Nuggets win in this fixture. If the Cleveland Cavaliers are to get anything out of the matchup, Andre Drummond will have to frustrate Nikola Jokic as best as he can.
The Cavs will have some joy on offense and could take advantage to improve their poor run as they face a Nuggets defense that ranks inside the league's bottom five.
Where to watch Cavs vs Nuggets
For fans in America, the Cleveland Cavaliers matchup with the Denver Nuggets will be shown locally on Fox Sports Ohio and the Altitude Sports network. Fans watching internationally can catch the game live via the NBA League Pass.