Don’t Go Against Denver At Home | Lakers vs Nuggets | OSB
Los Angeles Lakers at Denver Nuggets: Western Conference Finals Game 2 Prediction, Player Props, and Betting Tips
Sam Batz
The NBA Playoffs have entered the Conference Finals and in the West, the Denver Nuggets and Los Angeles Lakers are preparing for Game 2, which is set to take place Thursday, May 18th (8:30 PM EST, ESPN). The Denver Nuggets took Game 1, beating LA 132-126 in an exciting high-scoring series opener. Denver remains unbeaten at home (7-0), while the Lakers fall to 2-5 on the road. Anthony Davis was the high-scorer in Game 1 with 40 points, and is priced at +400 (4th-best odds) to record the most points in Game 2. Nikola Jokic led Denver to victory with 34 points and is priced at +145 (best odds) to be the top scorer on Thursday.
Los Angeles Lakers (+5.5; ML +185)
The Lakers lost their first Game 1 of the playoffs on Tuesday against the Nuggets. It was an excellent night for Anthony Davis, Lebron James, and Austin Reaves, who combined for 89 points, but it wasn’t enough to match the postseason’s top-ranked offense. It doesn’t bode well for the Lakers that AD put in his highest-scoring performance of these playoffs, and yet they still lost. Denver’s offense is spectacular, but the Lakers entered the Conference Finals with the No. 1 defense, which apparently doesn’t mean much, as even they couldn’t stop the Nuggets. The Lakers played well, shooting 54.8% from the field and 45.8% from 3-point range, but they were out rebounded 30 to 47 and surrendered 18 second-chance points, which proved too steep to overcome.
Denver Nuggets (-5.5; ML -225)
The Denver Nuggets remain unflappable at home, and are now a perfect 7-0 in Denver’s Ball Arena. It was an impressive outing for the West’s No. 1 seed, who shot 54.9% from the field and 46.9% from the 3-point line. Unsurprisingly, Nikola Jokic was the best player on the floor in Game 1, recording 34 points, 21 rebounds, and 14 assists on the way to his 3rd straight triple-double. The Joker had 10 rebounds within the first 8 minutes of the game, and dominated Anthony Davis 1v1, going 10-13 from the field and recording 1.53 points/play in 15 plays with AD guarding him. The Lakers made the necessary second-half adjustments, like moving Rui Hachimura to take Jokic on defense, but at that point it was too late, because once the Nuggets sink their teeth into a lead, they don’t give it up easily.
Lakers vs. Nuggets: Game 2 Odds
Team | Spread | Total (O/U) | Moneyline |
Los Angeles Lakers | +5.5 (-110) | Ov 227 (-110) | +185 |
Denver Nuggets | -5.5 (-110) | Un 227 (-110) | -225 |
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Lakers vs. Nuggets: Postseason Stats
Los Angeles Lakers (7) 113.5 109.2 47.5% 33.8% 45.5 12.4 112.9 108.6 6-0 (100.0%) 2-5 (28.6%) | Stat Type Points/Game Opponent Points/Game Field Goal % Three-Point % Rebounds/Game Turnovers/Game Offensive Rating Defensive Rating Home Record (Win-Rate) Away Record (Win-Rate) | Denver Nuggets (1) 117.2 108.3 49.4% 38.7% 44.6 11.4 120.1 111.8 7-0 (100.0%) 2-3 (40.0%) |
Lakers vs. Nuggets: Postseason Betting Trends
Los Angeles Lakers
- 9-4 ATS in the postseason
- 3-4 ATS on the ROAD in the postseason
- 7-6 O/U record in the postseason
- 2-4 as UNDERDOGS in the postseason
- 2-4 as UNDERDOGS on the ROAD in the postseason
Denver Nuggets
- 7-5 ATS in the postseason
- 5-2 ATS at HOME in the postseason
- 7-5 O/U record in the postseason
- 8-1 as FAVORITES in the postseason
- 7-0 as FAVORITES at HOME in the postseason
Lakers vs. Nuggets: Bold Player Prop
LeBron James (Lakers Small Forward): Triple-Double (+800)
Lebron recorded 26 points, 12 rebounds, and 9 assists in Game 1 against Denver, collecting his 6th double-double of these playoffs. LBJ is averaging 23.6 points, 10.2 rebounds, and 5.6 assists per game, and has been the lifeblood of LA’s improbable run. James is a postseason mastermind, and understands that his team isn’t going to upset the Nuggets unless he puts in a special performance. The King always seems to be at his best when the pressure is dialed up to eleven, and in Game 2, I predict Lebron will record his first triple-double of the postseason.
Lakers vs. Nuggets Game 2 Prediction
Take the Lakers to cover the spread in Game 2. Los Angeles is 9-4 against the spread, and after a troubling Game 1 where the Lakers looked lethargic at the start, LA will enter Game 2 with the energy and drive to hand Denver their first home loss of the postseason. It won’t be easy, as the Nuggets have looked like the undisputed No. 1 seed all tournament, but with Lebron James’ leadership, the Lakers are going to push Denver to their breaking point in Game 2. LA looked much better in the second-half of Game 1, and coach Darvin Ham now knows what’s required in order to stay within range of Denver’s potent offensive attack. The Lakers are not expected to win the game, but LBJ has that fire in his eye, and I’m confident Los Angeles will keep it close on Thursday.
Prediction: LA Lakers Cover The Spread (+5.5)
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