The Brooklyn Nets’ difficult early-season schedule continues tonight when they face the Denver Nuggets and reigning MVP Nikola Jokic. Having just dispatched Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks in its home opener, Brooklyn looks to repeat Sunday night’s all-around performance against a Denver squad that’s hungry to lift its record back to .500.

The Nets enter the day as 5.5-point underdogs to the Nuggets, and the total over/under is 218.5 points.

1. Cam Thomas needs another 30-ball. Averaging 30.7 points through three contests on 47% shooting, Thomas’ scoring has been pivotal in the Nets’ early performances. Given that Brooklyn is still quite banged up and will be without Ben Simmons tonight, another offensive explosion will be needed to keep the score close.

2. Dennis Schröder must continue his hot start. Buried by Thomas’ jaw-dropping performances has been the ever-steady play from the Nets’ veteran point guard. Without Simmons, he’ll be facilitating the offense on his own against Denver. Albeit in a small sample size, since the beginning of the 2024-25 campaign Schröder is averaging a career-high 20.7 points nightly. If he and Thomas can combine for 50 points or more, Brooklyn will have a good shot at pulling off its second-straight upset.

3. Start Nic Claxton. A minutes restriction has hindered the Nets’ $100 million big man in the young season, but he looked worth every penny in the victory over the Bucks. Simmons’ injury costs Brooklyn another interior defender, and still without Day’Ron Sharpe’s services, the Nets cannot afford to limit Claxton’s plying time against Jokic.

Brooklyn Nets (1-2) vs. Denver Nuggets (1-2)

Check out Nets on SI later today for an updated injury report.

Oct. 29, 2024 at 7:30 p.m. EST

Barclays Center – Brooklyn, NY

Following the Denver matchup, Brooklyn’s schedule gets slightly easier. They play a back-to-back on the road against the Memphis Grizzlies tomorrow at 8 p.m. before returning to the Barclays Center to take on the Chicago Bulls on Nov. 1. Then the Nets get the Detroit Pistons at home on Nov. 3 and a rematch with the Grizzlies in Memphis on Nov. 4.

Even if the Nets drop another game tonight, the four games that follow are all winnable.

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