Game one of this first-round Western Conference playoff series between the Lakers and Nuggets tips off at 8:30 PM from Ball Arena in Denver. ABC is carrying the game on TV. The Nuggets are the 7-point favorites at home and are -284 on the money line. The Lakers are at +229, and the over/under line is at 224 points.

LOS ANGELES LAKERS VS DENVER NUGGETS BETTING PICK

The Pick: Los Angeles Lakers +7

This game will be played at Ball Arena at 8:30 ET on Saturday, April 20th.

WHY BET THE LOS ANGELES LAKERS:

  • We have this one finishing with a projected score of 119-113 in favor of the Lakers.
  • Our projections have LeBron James finishing with LeBron James points, 7 rebounds and 8 assists.
  • From the field, we have the Lakers finishing with a field goal percentage of 49.0% and knocking down 14 threes.

Can Los Angeles Pull Out the Win as Road Underdogs?

Today, the Lakers are looking to extend their winning streak to three games after defeating the Pelicans 124-108. The Lakers were 1.5-point underdogs in that game.

With a record of 47-35, the Lakers are currently 7th in the Western Conference. Against the West, they are 27-25 and 20-10 against the East.

As the underdog, the Lakers are 15-22 this season. The O/U record for their games as the underdog is 18-19, and their scoring differential is -4.5 points per game.

On the road, the Lakers have an average scoring differential of -3.4 points per game. Their ATS record on the road is 18-22, compared to 19-21 straight-up.

This season, the Lakers have gone 38-44 ATS, including a 20-22 record on the road. The team has covered the spread in their last five road games.

In their games this season, the Lakers have an average over/under line of 232.4 points. Today’s line is set at 224, and the Lakers have gone 48-34 on the O/U for the season. The team’s last four games have all gone over the posted total.

Los Angeles comes into the game as one of the top-scoring teams in the league, at 118 points per game. This is the 6th best mark in the NBA. They have been just as good on the road, averaging 117 points per contest. The Lakers have been an efficient team this season, as they have hit 49% of their shots from the field, which is the 3rd best mark in the league.

LeBron James is averaging 30.5 points per game over his last four games while hitting 60% of his shots from the field. In these games, he also averaged 11.2 assists. Anthony Davis has averaged 23 points and 10.5 rebounds in his last four games. Both players are probable for today’s game. Rui Hachimura has hit 41.7% of his threes this season.

The Lakers’ defense is presently ranked 23rd in the league, allowing an average of 117.4 points per contest. The Los Angeles defense has allowed opponents to shoot 37.7% from beyond the arc this season. Opposing teams are also hitting 47.5% of their field goal attempts vs. Los Angeles.

Can the Nuggets Live Up to the Hype at Home?

Today, the Nuggets are favored by 7 points against the Lakers. This season, Denver has been favored in 72 of their 82 games and has a record of 53-19 as the favorite. As the favorite, they have gone 33-37 against the spread.

In terms of their O/U record for the season, the Nuggets are 34-46-2, and the over has hit in their last three games. On average, their games have finished with 224.5 points, which is right in line with today’s O/U line of 224.

In their most recent game, the Nuggets defeated the Grizzlies by a score of 126-111. The O/U line for that game was 216.5, and Denver covered the spread as 14-point favorites.

Overall, the Nuggets finished the season with a record of 57-25, which is good for 2nd place in the Western Conference. Against other Western Conference teams, they went 33-19 and 24-6 against the East.

Denver’s ATS record for the season is 38-42, including a mark of 21-19 at home. They have covered the spread in their last two home games.

For the season, Nikola Jokic is averaging 26.4 points, 9 assists and 12.4 rebounds. Over his last five games, he has hit 64.9% of his shots from the field and 77.8% of his threes, leading to an average of 25 points per game. In these games, he also pulled down 12 rebounds and 8.4 assists. Jamal Murray is averaging 21.2 points for the season but has averaged 24 points in his last five games. In these games, he hit 47.4% of his threes and averaged 3.6 made threes per game.

Denver is averaging 114.9 points per game this season, which is 13th in the NBA. Their home scoring average of 118.5 points per contest is the 9th best mark in the league. The team’s field goal percentage of 49% is the 4th best mark in the league. Despite being last in the league in three-point attempts, they are 25th in three-point makes.

The Nuggets’ defense is presently ranked 7th in the league, allowing an average of 109.6 points per contest. Denver’s defense is currently forcing 11.8 turnovers per game, which is 4th in the league. Additionally, they enter the game ranked 10th in blocked shots, with an average of 5.6 rejections per game.