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Game 2 – Lakers vs. Nuggets Picks, Predictions, Odds

Michael Crosson
Michael Crosson Sports Betting Expert
3 minute read

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The NBA Playoffs resume on Thursday night with Game 2 of the Western Conference Finals between the Los Angeles Lakers and Denver Nuggets. Coverage begins from Ball Arena in Denver at 8:30 p.m. ET on ESPN.

The Nuggets are 9-0 SU in their last nine home games. (Getty)

LOS ANGELES LAKERS vs. DENVER NUGGETS BETTING PREDICTION

It was too little too late for Los Angeles in Tuesday’s series opener, as the Lakers entered the fourth quarter of Game 1 trailing Denver by  a score of 106-92, and still managed to give them a run for their money in the closing minutes of the contest, as L. A. cut the lead to just three points with 1:12 left on the clock, but it was never going to be enough to outlast the Nuggets shooting 55% from the field and 47% from three-point territory on their homefloor.

Believe it or not, the Lakers actually played some of their best basketball in Game 1. They lit up the scoreboard for 126 points on 55% from the field and 46% from long-range, and Denver had absolutely no answer for Anthony Davis down low, as AD went off for 40 points on 14-of-23 shooting in the loss.

LeBron James and Austin Reaves also brought their A-Game in Tuesday’s contest, as they managed to adequately complement AD’s monster performance by combining for 49 points on 53% shooting. So, the Lakers clearly didn’t lose Game 1 due to a deficiency in the scoring department.

Truth be told, it didn’t seem like the Lakers’ defense was all that bad in Game 1 either,  Denver’s lineup was just red hot from start-to-finish, they nailed a bunch of circus shots throughout the contest, and L. A. simply couldn’t match their level of fortune. 

The Nuggets erupted for 132 points on 55% from the floor and 47% from three in Tuesday’s series opener, which was propelled by Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray combining for 65 points on an incredibly efficient 24-of-37 from the field and 7-of-11 from beyond the arc, and if they continue to perform at that level, the Lakers don’t stand a chance against this team.

Unfortunately, though, the Nuggets’ offensive numbers are destined to regress moving forward, and if they fail to clean things up at the defensive end as we approach the latter part of this series, it could be bad news for this Denver’ squad.

Jokic is one of the most uniquely dominant offensive players that the league has seen in a very long time. So, it’s no surprise the Nuggets’ entire offensive scheme revolves around him; however, but it should also be pointed out that as an NBA center, one of his primary responsibilities is to protect the rim, and Jokic simply isn’t mobile enough to defend most of the league’s top tier talent down low, which was on full display in Game 1.

The Lakers are a tough matchup for Denver. Very few teams have the proper defensive tools capable of giving this Nuggets’’ team headaches, but L. A. happens to be one of them. Jokic will go head-to-head with Anthony Davis for most of this series, an incredibly versatile force at both ends of the floor, and the Lakers have several other options capable of helping and switching onto the Nuggets’ two-time MVP in a pinch as well.

In theory, if the Nuggets posted their usual offensive numbers in Tuesday’s series opener, which are still excellent clips, it would’ve been far more difficult to compensate for their abysmal defensive effort; or in other words, they happened to luck out in Game 1 thanks to a red-hot shooting performance.

The Nuggets are due for a wakeup call at the defensive end of the floor in Game 2. Take the points with L. A. in this one.

Score Prediction: Lakers 114, Nuggets 110
Best Bet: Lakers +5.5 (-110)

LAL @ DEN Odds

  • Full Game
  • 1H
  • 1Q
  • 2Q
  • 3Q
  • 4Q
  • Spread
  • Total
  • Moneyline
Final
Los Angeles Lakers 535 Lakers
+6 -106 +2.5 even +3 -110 +3 -110 +3.5 -115 N/A +5.5 -109  
Denver Nuggets 536 Nuggets
-6 -114 -2.5 -120 -3 -110 -3 -110 -3.5 -105 N/A -5.5 -112  
Final
Los Angeles Lakers 535 Lakers
o225.5 -110 o114.5 -115 o114.5 -110 o114.5 -110 o114.5 -110 N/A o225.5 -112  
Denver Nuggets 536 Nuggets
u225.5 -110 u114.5 -105 u114.5 -110 u114.5 -110 u114.5 -110 N/A u225.5 -109  
Final
Los Angeles Lakers 535 Lakers
+215 +155 +155 +152 +152 N/A +175  
Denver Nuggets 536 Nuggets
-260 -190 -180 -180 -188 N/A -215  
Final
Los Angeles Lakers 535 Lakers
+6 -106 +1.5 -105 +2 -115 +1.5 -115 +1.5 -106 N/A +5.5 -109  
Denver Nuggets 536 Nuggets
-6 -114 -1.5 -115 -2 -105 -1.5 -115 -1.5 -114 N/A -5.5 -112  
Final
Los Angeles Lakers 535 Lakers
o225.5 -110 o57.5 -120 o57.5 -115 o58 -115 o57.5 -104 N/A o225.5 -112  
Denver Nuggets 536 Nuggets
u225.5 -110 u57.5 even u57.5 -105 u58 -115 u57.5 -122 N/A u225.5 -109  
Final
Los Angeles Lakers 535 Lakers
+215 +130 +135 +140 +128 N/A +175  
Denver Nuggets 536 Nuggets
-260 -165 -155 -170 -158 N/A -215  
Final
Los Angeles Lakers 535 Lakers
+6 -106 N/A +1 -105 +1.5 -115 +1.5 -108 N/A +5.5 -109  
Denver Nuggets 536 Nuggets
-6 -114 N/A -1 -115 -1.5 -115 -1.5 -112 N/A -5.5 -112  
Final
Los Angeles Lakers 535 Lakers
o225.5 -110 N/A o57.5 even o57.5 -110 o57.5 -104 N/A o225.5 -112  
Denver Nuggets 536 Nuggets
u225.5 -110 N/A u57.5 -120 u57.5 -120 u57.5 -122 N/A u225.5 -109  
Final
Los Angeles Lakers 535 Lakers
+215 N/A +120 N/A +126 N/A +175  
Denver Nuggets 536 Nuggets
-260 N/A -140 N/A -154 N/A -215  
Final
Los Angeles Lakers 535 Lakers
+6 -106 N/A +1.5 -105 +1.5 -120 +1.5 -112 N/A +5.5 -109  
Denver Nuggets 536 Nuggets
-6 -114 N/A -1.5 -115 -1.5 -110 -1.5 -108 N/A -5.5 -112  
Final
Los Angeles Lakers 535 Lakers
o225.5 -110 N/A o54.5 -115 N/A o55.5 -111 N/A o225.5 -112  
Denver Nuggets 536 Nuggets
u225.5 -110 N/A u54.5 -105 N/A u55.5 -115 N/A u225.5 -109  
Final
Los Angeles Lakers 535 Lakers
+215 N/A +130 N/A +124 N/A +175  
Denver Nuggets 536 Nuggets
-260 N/A -150 N/A -152 N/A -215  
Final
Los Angeles Lakers 535 Lakers
+6 -106 N/A +1 -110 +1.5 -140 +0.5 -108 N/A +5.5 -109  
Denver Nuggets 536 Nuggets
-6 -114 N/A -1 -110 -1.5 +110 -0.5 -112 N/A -5.5 -112  
Final
Los Angeles Lakers 535 Lakers
o225.5 -110 N/A o55.5 -105 N/A o54.5 -122 N/A o225.5 -112  
Denver Nuggets 536 Nuggets
u225.5 -110 N/A u55.5 -115 N/A u54.5 -104 N/A u225.5 -109  
Final
Los Angeles Lakers 535 Lakers
+215 N/A +115 N/A +104 N/A +175  
Denver Nuggets 536 Nuggets
-260 N/A -135 N/A -128 N/A -215  

LOS ANGELES LAKERS vs. DENVER NUGGETS BETTING RESOURCES

Date: Thursday, May 18, 2023
Venue: Ball Arena
Location: Denver, Colorado
TV-Time: ESPN, 8:30 p.m. ET
Matchup
Expert Picks

NBA Finals Betting Odds

LOS ANGELES LAKERS vs. DENVER NUGGETS BETTING STATS

Los Angeles Lakers
SU: 52-44
ATS: 49-45-1
O/U: 50-44-1
PPG: 117.2
OPPG: 116.6

Denver Nuggets
SU: 62-32
ATS: 52-42
O/U: 45-49
PPG: 115.8
OPPG: 112.5

Straight Up (SU), Against the Spread (ATS), Over-Under (O/U)
Points Per Game (PPG), Opponents Points Per Game (OPPG)

The Lakers are 4-1-1 ATS in their last six games against Denver. (Getty)

LOS ANGELES LAKERS vs. DENVER NUGGETS BETTING TRENDS

  • The Lakers are 4-1 ATS in their last five games.
  • The total has gone OVER in five of the Lakers' last seven games.
  • The Lakers are 14-6 SU in their last 20 games.
  • The Nuggets are 10-3 SU in their last 13 games.
  • The total has gone OVER in 13 of Denver's last 19 games against the Lakers.
  • The Nuggets are 9-0 SU in their last nine home games.
  • The Lakers are 4-1-1 ATS in their last six games against Denver.
  • The total has gone OVER in 10 of the Lakers' last 12 road games.
  • The Lakers are 1-5 SU in their last six road games against Denver.

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Michael Crosson

Michael Crosson

Michael Crosson began his time at VegasInsider as a freelance NBA writer back in 2019 while he continued to study Psychology and Biology at James Madison University. Following his graduation in 2021, Michael joined the team full-time, and he's been with VI ever since. Michael still writes NBA, NFL, and MLB for VI, as well as gambling industry news. He's also become a crucial part of our editorial production team. More from Michael Crosson
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