Following a humiliating loss to the Orlando Magic, the Denver Nuggets welcome the league’s most underperforming club, the Detroit Pistons. The Pistons have already set the NBA record for the longest losing run in league history, with only three wins to their credit. No one expected them to be this poor, despite the fact that they are a young club in the midst of a rebuild. Injuries have obviously played a role, and some of it may be attributed to bad luck, but no matter how you slice it, this is a lousy club that the Nuggets should beat. Nikola Jokic and his teammates must take care of business tonight.

Julian Strawther (knee), Vlatko Cancar (knee), Hunter Tyson (G-League), Jalen Pickett (G-League); Alec Burks (hamstring), Monte Morris (quad), Isaiah Stewart (toe), Malcolm Cazalon (G-League), Jared Rhoden (G-League), Stanley Umude (G-League) are all out.

Jamal’s performance on Friday was hardly his finest. Some may even claim that it is one of his worst. He appears to have been pressing in the game rather than letting things unfold. The All NBA team is certainly on Jamal’s mind since he needs it to obtain a supermax extension in the winter, and if he’s going to make an All NBA team, he’ll have to make up for the time he missed due to injury. It was obvious to his teammates as well. Michael Porter Jr. spoke after the game about how the team can improve with better offense flow, and while he didn’t directly mention Jamal, he did mention himself, Aaron Gordon, and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope as players who aren’t getting enough looks.

Remember, these people are compensated as well.

Yes, the Detroit Pistons are the poorest club in the NBA, they have only won three games this season, and the Nuggets are favored by sixteen and a half points. This does not imply that the game will be easy. After blowing an eighteen-point lead on Friday, the Nuggets should be all business today. Still, I’m not going to bet on this spread because betting on a team getting blown out in the NBA, regardless of how bad they are, is a losing proposition. The Nuggets must attack the Pistons early and not look back. Allowing a weak squad to play into the fourth quarter is a formula for catastrophe.

The wager: Nikola Jokic above 9.5 assists (+115).

I’m sure Nikola heard Mike’s postgame comments on Friday as well, and while they weren’t directed at anyone in particular, I’m hoping Joker makes an effort to incorporate everyone tonight. Plus, at worst, Joker having double digit assists is a coin flip, so I’m betting on Jokic assists tonight.