Denver, CO
Preview: Nuggets play another take care of business game against Raptors
The Denver Nuggets are settling into a groove. Since returning from break they’ve been getting up for the games against the marquee teams and taking care of business against the teams they should beat. Tonight will be another take care of business game with the Toronto Raptors in town. The Raptors punted on the season a few weeks before the trade deadline when they shipped out O.G. Anunoby and Pascal Siakam in separate trades. While they did net a return of Bruce Brown among a plethora of other things, none of it is going to help the Raptors avoid a deep rebuild. The team now focuses on creating a core around the ’21/’22 Rookie of the Year, Scottie Barnes (out tonight) and is looking on to greener pastures in seasons to come.
The Essentials
Who: Denver Nuggets (44-20) vs Toronto Raptors (23-41)
When: 7PM MST
Where: The Can. Denver, CO.
How to watch/listen: Denver Stiffs does not condone piracy….unless it’s the romanticized 18th century type. Altitude TV where available (Altitude TV is on DirecTV, DirecTV Stream and Fubo TV). NBA League pass for those not in the Nuggets market. Altitude Radio 92.5. Wear a suit, say you’re Bruce Brown’s agent and you’re here to meet with Calvin about next year.
Rival Blog: Raptors HQ
The Matchup
| Position | Nuggets | Raptors | Advantage |
| PG | Jamal Murray | Immanuel Quickley | Nuggets |
| SG | Kentavious Caldwell-Pope | Gary Trent Jr. | Nuggets |
| SF | Michael Porter Jr. | R.J. Barrett | Nuggets |
| PF | Aaron Gordon | Ochai Agbaji | Nuggets |
| C | Nikola Jokic | Kelly Olynyk | Nuggets |
| Bench | Reggie Jackson, Christian Braun, Peyton Watson, Zeke Nnaji | Chris Boucher, Gradey Dick, Javon Freeman-Liberty, Jordan Nwora | Nuggets |
Injury Report: Vlatko Cancar – out (knee), Braxton Key – out (G-League), Jalen Pickett – out (G-League), Hunter Tyson – out (G-League); R.J. Barrett – questionable (illness), Chris Boucher – questionable (knee), Bruce Brown – questionable (knee), Scottie Barnes – out (hand), Jakob Poetl – out (hand), D.J. Carson – out (ankle), Mouhamadou Gueye – out (G-League)
The Three Things
The thing to watch for: Jamal Murray vs Immanuel Quickley
Feb 26, 2024; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Toronto Raptors guard Immanuel Quickley (5) dribbles the ball while Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton (0) defends in the first half at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports
Immanuel Quickley has really flourished in Toronto’s system since coming over in a trade with the New York Knicks. He’s taken on the role of their starting point guard and has added quite the playmaking game to his scoring prowess. He’s topped double digit assists in three of his last five games, including putting up 18 just two games ago, and has raised his APG total by four (granted with the help of getting about 50% more minutes a game). Meanwhile Jamal Murray seems to be rounding into playoff form. Fresh off a 37 point night that was overshadowed by Jamal’s poor press conference ethic, it’ll be interesting to see how big of an “F you” mentality Jamal is in tonight and how that translates on the court.
The thing to remember: Toronto is so injured
Yes the Raptors have shifted towards a rebuild but that doesn’t mean they wanted their standard operating procedure to be four small guards and Kelly Olynyk. Sadly, that’s essentially the choice Toronto has been saddled with, particularly in their game against the Portland Trail Blazers on Saturday which saw R.J. Barrett sit out due to illness. You know you’re in trouble on the size front when losing Barrett is notable. RJ is listed as questionable tonight, as is bench wing Chris Boucher and our old friend Bruce Brown. Barnes and Jakob Poetl meanwhile are out for the season. Those five guys alone probably have enough to compete for a play-in spot in the East so the injuries are taking a massive toll in Toronto. Still, Denver can’t lose focus or they might end up on the wrong end of a an ugly loss.
The thing to bet: Aaron Gordon over 0.5 blocks (+125)
With how small the Raptors are going to play it’s going to leave some opportunity for some swats. It’s been a few games since AG has had one and that’s driving us into pretty good plus money on a guy who averages 0.6 blocks a game and will be defending someone who is 6’6″ or smaller for the vast majority of the game. Always a risk betting on getting one block but I think the Toronto matchup lends to it happening more likely than not.
SNO again this week!
Three weeks, three stiffs night out. You gotta love it! We are headed back down to Number Thirty-Eight this Wednesday for Stiffs Night Out. At this point you guys know the drill. Giveaways, $15 pitchers, great food, live postgame podcast and all the best Nuggets fans getting together to watch Denver in a Finals rematch against the Miami Heat. It’s an early game which works out well for us on a Wednesday so get off work, head over to Number Thirty-Eight for a 5:30 tip, watch the postgame pod and be home by your bedtime. Hope to see everyone there!
If you use Santa Fe Drive as a part of your daily commute, you will notice full closures this weekend on a popular section, from Florida Avenue to Evans Avenue, for the installation of a pedestrian bridge.
Once the 370-foot pedestrian bridge is completed, it will connect the east and west portions of Denver’s Overland neighborhood. This bridge will be used by pedestrians and bicyclists.
The Denver Department of Transportation and Infrastructure says this closure is needed to keep the traveling public safe. Large cranes will be used to set the two spans in place. Each one weighs about 215,000 pounds and is 180 feet long.
Once the bridge is completed in 2027, it will create a safer connection for pedestrians and bicyclists. It will link neighborhoods to trails, transit, parks, and local businesses without requiring residents to cross heavy traffic.
“Our neighborhood is quartered by transportation routes, so having a safe pedestrian bridge that can take people from one side to the other is an amazing development that neighbors have been asking for for years,” Jenn Greiving, President, Overland Park Neighborhood Association, said.
The Santa Fe Drive closure will begin at midnight on Saturday, July 11, and end on Monday, July 13, at 5 a.m. There will be detours in place. This includes:
- Southbound Santa Fe Drive Detour: Traffic will be routed to Platte River Drive to reenter southbound Santa Fe Drive at the West Evans Avenue on-ramp.
- Northbound Santa Fe Drive Detour: Access to northbound Santa Fe Drive will be at Mississippi Avenue via South Broadway Street.
- On-Ramp Closure: The West Evans Avenue on-ramp to northbound Santa Fe Drive will close at noon on Friday, July 10, to prepare for the full weekend closure and will remain closed until 5 a.m. on Monday, July 13. Traffic will be detoured to South Broadway Street to re-enter northbound Santa Fe Drive via Mississippi Avenue.
- Off-Ramp Closure: The southbound Santa Fe Drive off-ramp to West Evans Avenue will close for the full weekend period and remain closed until Friday, Sept. 11, while crews build new sidewalks and perform other concrete work at the southwest corner of the project. Detours will be posted to West Florida Avenue, West Dartmouth Avenue or West Hampden Avenue to bypass the ramp closure
During this closure, DOTI will reopen the underpass on Iowa Avenue. This is a new ADA accessible pathway that will be available between Santa Fe Drive and Acoma Street.
DENVER (KDVR) — Two officers, one now formerly of the Denver Police Department, face multiple charges relating to separate incidents in the past two months.
According to a release, now-former Denver Police Officer Gabriel Lucero was issued a citation for third-degree assault, official misconduct and false reporting, while Officer Javon Leach was cited for reckless driving and eluding.
The incident involving Lucero reportedly occurred on May 22 just before 1 a.m. in the 500 block of 16th Street. According to a release, Lucero was involved in an assault at a business, as he allegedly assaulted a person and walked away as others continued to assault the victim.
Security guards and an off-duty officer escorted him and the group out; however, Lucero reportedly identified himself as a Denver police officer and attempted to re-enter by using his police badge.
Lucero reportedly provided a false name without any other information, and further investigation verified Lucero as the person involved. Lucero was hired in 2025 and, due to his current probationary status, was fired as of Wednesday.
The incident involving Leach occurred around 1:41 a.m. on June 21, when Leach was reportedly pulling out of a parking lot on Larimer Street, attempting to drive against traffic.
Leach reportedly refused commands to stop as he left the area. Officials said he was found just seven minutes later, traveling at high speeds northbound on Park Avenue West.
He reportedly fled a traffic stop and continued to drive away, and officials deemed Leach to be the suspect following an investigation. He was placed in an off-line assignment while the case progresses, as they are considered misdemeanors.
“The Denver Police Department’s administrative review of Leach’s incident will begin once the criminal case is adjudicated, and that process includes the Denver Department of Safety and the Office of the Independent Monitor, a civilian oversight agency,” the release said.
Denver Nuggets standout forward Peyton Watson could find himself on another team before you know it.
With the Nuggets reportedly open to a sign-and-trade of Watson, could Denver really lose a core piece to their rotation?
It’s hard to imagine many teams being able to shoulder the financial weight of a Watson contract at this point because of the aprons and such, but he’s absolutely an asset to any contending team.
We’ve gone through and identified a few teams that make sense for Watson in the fall… including the one he’s already on at the moment. Hey, he might stay home, you never know!
The Clippers have been linked to Watson as a possible destination; he could help them immensely.
The Pistons have also been linked to Watson, which would help them a lot to contend for an NBA title.
Look, HYPOTHETICALLY, the Nets could move around some cap space with some player trades and such and get a deal done. They are one of the only teams in the NBA right now not in the negative with cap space.
The Grizzlies are the team with the least amount of negative cap space right now, per Spotrac. If they really wanted to pull off a Watson sign-and-trade… it would be hypothetically possible from a money standpoint.
Denver Nuggts
Look, it’s very possible Watson just stays in Denver on a brand-new deal. Who knows at this point?
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