Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray, and the rest of the Denver Nuggets have only one goal ahead of their game against the LA Lakers – a victory. On the other side, the Lakers’ motive is revenge. For all those who forgot, the Lakers lost to the Nuggets in the West Finals after four meetings.
Before Betting on Nuggets vs. Lakers
The Nuggets are currently fourth in the West but more or less leveled with the Timberwolves, the Thunder, and the Clippers, who are after first place in the conference. So they didn’t experience a case of a championship hangover but kept on pounding hard.
Jokic is still the leader of the pack, with the two-time NBA MVP and the most recent NBA Finals MVP averaging awesome numbers, near a triple-double, and presenting an unstoppable force on the court. Jamal Murray is there to step in and do the job because he delivers 21 points and 6.6 assists each night.
On the other side are LeBron and Anthony Davis, who have pretty much the same number of points. LBJ averages 24.9, while AD adds 24.7. James has 7.3 rebounds and 7.6 assists, while Davis grabs 12.3 boards and records 2.4 blocks. Still, this isn’t enough for more than 27 victories in 52 games.
The Lakers look as if they miss something, and from our perspective, that would be defense and ball movement. LeBron knows to slow down the pace because he tends to take the ball in his hands. Regarding the defense, the Lakers have allowed 117.1 points since the season started, which is too much, particularly if the playoffs are the goal.
Denver Nuggets vs. LA Lakers NBA Offshore Betting Odds
| Offshore Sportsbook | Moneyline | Total | Spread |
|---|---|---|---|
| BetOnline | Nuggets (1.63) | Lakers (2.40) | 231.5 | Nuggets -3.5 (1.89) | Lakers +3.5 (1.93) |
| MyBookie | Nuggets (1.63) | Lakers (2.40) | 231 | Nuggets -3.5 (1.89) | Lakers +3.5 (1.93) |
| BetUS | Nuggets (1.59) | Lakers (2.40) | 231 | Nuggets -3.5 (1.87) | Lakers +3.5 (1.95) |
| SportsBetting.ag | Nuggets (1.63) | Lakers (2.40) | 231.5 | Nuggets -3.5 (1.89) | Lakers +3.5 (1.93) |
| XBet | Nuggets (1.63) | Lakers (2.40) | 231 | Nuggets -3.5 (1.89) | Lakers +3.5 (1.93) |
The Nuggets look more versatile in terms of performing in both directions. They are more talented on the offensive side and have better defenders. Now, the purple and gold will have the home-court edge, yet even so, our pick here would be the champions to win, primarily because they are a better team overall.
