Nuggets take Jokic's bounce-back and Spencer Jones' return to Mexico City against the Pacers

The Denver Nuggets open a four-game road trip Saturday afternoon in a better place than they were a week ago. Nikola Jokic is coming off his strongest game of the season, and forward Spencer Jones is set to return when Denver plays the Indiana Pacers in Mexico City.

Jokic had a triple-double in three quarters in Wednesday's 128-109 win over the Toronto Raptors, according to Mile High Sports. The outlet's Ryan Blackburn called it Denver's best win of the year. It came two nights after a 118-110 home loss to Portland, and on the latest Pickaxe and Roll episode Blackburn talked through the three-time MVP's own comments on finding his game in the post, how the minutes have been split across the rotation so far, and what the road trip looks like.

The rotation is where things change. Jones is off the injury report after a long recovery from a hamstring strain. Bennett Durando of The Denver Post reported that he and the team had been aiming for the Mexico City game all week. While he was out, rookies Trevon Brazile and Bryce Hopkins played well enough to earn real minutes. If DeMar DeRozan also plays after missing the Toronto game with back spasms, Blackburn projects a 10-man group that drops Hopkins and gives Jones about 14 minutes in his first game back. Those minutes would likely come partly out of Brazile's share. Michael Malone's successor staff could also go with 11 players, but someone on the bench will probably lose time either way.

What it means for Saturday

Denver is 4-3 and has won three of its last four. The only loss in that stretch was to the Blazers. Away from Ball Arena the Nuggets are 2-1. They won at New Orleans 104-91 and at Phoenix 127-120 after opening the season with an 84-96 loss at Oklahoma City. They have outscored opponents by just five points total over seven games, 808 to 803. That works out to roughly 115 scored and 115 allowed per night, which is not the margin of a dominant team.

The market still has Denver well ahead. On this site's board, which tracks 12 venues for the game, the Nuggets are favored at -257 on the Novig moneyline, with Indiana at +251. Sportsbook hold on the moneyline runs from 2.9% to 4.6%.

The spread is where the venues differ most. Novig has Denver -7.5 at +106. The best price on the Nuggets anywhere is Hard Rock Bet's -6.5 at -115. On the Indiana side, Novig lists +7.5 at -111 and BetRivers has the widest number at +8.5, priced at -122. Across the board the Pacers line runs from 6.5 to 8.5, a two-point spread between venues, and sportsbook hold on the spread ranges from 2.4% to 5.0%.

The total sits at 228.5 on Novig, with the over at -100 and the under at -106. DraftKings has the best under price at 229.5 for -114. Denver's seven games have averaged a little over 230 combined points. That number is pulled up by the 141-135 shootout with New Orleans and pulled down by the 180-point game in Oklahoma City.

Jokic's form and how quickly Jones settles in will shape the trip more than any single result. Saturday is the first look at both.