Denver Nuggets vs Los Angeles Lakers: Analysis and Prediction – Denver Nuggets will host Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA playoff.
Denver Nuggets vs Los Angeles Lakers Odds
Denver Nuggets Team News
The Denver Nuggets had the opportunity to reward their excellent form after the All-Star break with the top spot in the Western Conference. However, in the penultimate game of the regular season, they suffered a loss to the San Antonio Spurs, placing them in second position leading up to the series against the Los Angeles Lakers.
There’s no doubt that the entire game plan of the Denver Nuggets revolves around Nikola Jokic. The outstanding center is very likely to receive the MVP award, his third in four seasons. However, he’s not the team’s sole weapon,one could argue that the Nuggets’ starting lineup is probably the strongest in the entire league. Aaron Gordon has shown in the previous series between these rivals that he can slow down LeBron James, who will now be a year older but certainly more motivated. The X factor could be Jamal Murray, as it’s well-known how he elevates his game in the playoffs, especially considering the Lakers’ poor defense against point guards. Throughout his career, Murray has averaged 17.5 points per game, but in the playoffs, that number increases to 25 points per game. The challenge for the Nuggets throughout the playoffs will be the time without Jokic on the court. If they can play those periods well, it will be very difficult for anyone to defeat them.
The Denver Nuggets are favorites in every home game they play, and this duel against the Los Angeles Lakers is no exception. To secure victory, Murray needs to perform at a high level, and Aaron Gordon must capitalize on the open shots he’ll surely have. If they succeed, the hosts will be close to victory.
Los Angeles Lakers Team News
Throughout the season, the Los Angeles Lakers have been quite inconsistent and have struggled to find their rhythm, failing to string together several important wins. It’s crucial for them that they enter this matchup with two consecutive victories, both on the road against the very strong New Orleans Pelicans.
Consistency has been a major issue for the Lakers all season, and they haven’t been able to solve that problem for more than five months. While LeBron James continues to play at an exceptionally high level, it’s clear that he can no longer be the team’s sole top performer in their pursuit of the title. Anthony Davis has played at a high level this season, especially on defense. Opposing players in the paint shoot nearly 10% worse when he’s guarding them compared to the league average. How to defend Nikola Jokic will be a crucial question for the Lakers. In the previous playoff series, it seemed that the most success came when Rui Hachimura directly guarded Jokic, with Anthony Davis providing help defense from the side. However, we believe the Nuggets will be much better prepared for that now. We believe the key to this series for the Los Angeles Lakers will be the performances of Austin Reaves and D’Angelo Russell. If they can perform at a high level and shoot at high percentages, the Lakers will have something to hope for in this playoff series.
One of the biggest challenges for the Los Angeles Lakers in this series will be finding a lineup that is strong defensively while also being effective on offense. If they can achieve that, the Lakers have quite solid chances for success.
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Denver Nuggets vs Los Angeles Lakers H2H
The Denver Nuggets have won eight consecutive games against this opponent. Last season, they faced off in the Western Conference finals, with the Nuggets sweeping the series 4-0.
Absences and Injuries
Denver Nuggets vs Los Angeles Lakers Prediction
Tip-off Time: Sunday, 21.04.2024, 02:30 CET
Prediction: Denver Nuggets -4.5
Odds: 1.70
Sportsbook: 22Bet
*Odds are active at the time the article is published
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