Game two of the Western Conference Finals is set for Thursday night when the Los Angeles Lakers (43-39, 20-21 away) visit the Denver Nuggets (53-29, 34-7 home). It was a fun game one that saw plenty of scoring and that should be a sign of things to come in this series. Below is my NBA pick for the Los Angeles Lakers vs Denver Nuggets.
Los Angeles Lakers vs Denver Nuggets Betting Pick
The Pick: Denver Nuggets -5.5
This game will be played at Ball Arena at 8:30 p.m. on Thursday, May 18, 2023.
Why Bet the Denver Nuggets:
✅ Denver has been good of late having won 10 of their last 13 games played.
✅ At home, the Nuggets have dominant having win nine in a row.
✅ Los Angeles is 1-5 in their last six road games against Denver.
Los Angeles Lakers Need to Win Game Two
Los Angeles knows it’s going to be tough to grab a win in Denver, but they came close with a big second half in game one. The Lakers will be confident they can carry that momentum into game two and bring the home court advantage back to Los Angeles.
Denver started off strong in game one as they jumped out to a 12-point first quarter lead and extended that lead to 18 points at halftime. It was a complete 180 in the second half as the Lakers came to life and made it a game once again. Los Angeles trimmed the lead to 14 points entering the fourth quarter and made a game late after winning the final quarter by nine points. It was a 132-126 victory for Denver in a game they felt in control throughout.
In the game one defeat, Anthony Davis went off for 40 points, 10 rebounds, three assists, three steals, and two blocks. LeBron James added 26 points, 12 rebounds, and nine assists on the night.
The Denver Nuggets Held on in Game One
Denver will be happy they got the game one win, but they will need to come out of the half better in game two. The Nuggets have yet to lose a home game in the playoffs and if they continue that trend Denver will find themselves in the NBA Finals.
In the game one victory, Nikola Jokic went nuts with 34 points, 21 rebounds, and 14 assists. Jamal Murray added 21 points, five rebounds, five assists, and three steals on the night.
