Denver Nuggets vs Los Angeles Lakers: Analysis and Prediction – Denver Nuggets will host Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA playoffs Game 5.
Denver Nuggets vs Los Angeles Lakers Odds
Denver Nuggets Team News
The Denver Nuggets suffered an incredible loss to the San Antonio Spurs, causing them to lose the top spot in the Western Conference and setting up a series with the Los Angeles Lakers. After stringing together three wins in a very similar way, the Nuggets were defeated in the last match.
In each of these four games, the Los Angeles Lakers started much stronger, building a double-digit lead that they maintained until the end of the first half. However, in the third quarter, the Denver Nuggets managed to reduce the deficit or completely neutralize it, then completely turn the game around in the final part. In the last match, the Nuggets won the third quarter again, but only by two points, and they failed to get close enough to make a comeback. Throughout the season, it’s been clear that the bench is the weakest part of the Denver Nuggets’ team, and this was confirmed once again with just one field goal made and a mere five points scored—a subpar performance for this level of basketball. This poor play was compounded by Jamal Murray’s exceptionally bad shooting night, he couldn’t find his rhythm and forced shots despite his struggles. Nikola Jokic recorded another triple-double, a remarkable feat considering he achieves this in every fourth playoff game.
The Denver Nuggets are aware of what needs to change and improve to end this series in the fifth game and to extinguish the Los Angeles Lakers’ hopes. Jamal Murray must play a significantly more efficient game, not necessarily in terms of points but with much better shooting percentages.
Los Angeles Lakers Team News
Throughout the season, the Los Angeles Lakers strived to secure the best possible position, eventually landing in the seventh spot in the Western Conference through the play-in tournament. This led them to face the reigning NBA champions once again, the team that defeated them in the conference finals last season.
There seems to be a certain level of frustration within the Los Angeles Lakers’ camp, as they lost all the games in the series in a similar way. The third quarter in the first three matches was particularly critical for the Lakers. In first three games they lost this quarter with 31 (accumulated) often squandering the lead they had built. In those games, it appeared that LeBron James and Anthony Davis simply lacked the energy and strength to carry the team through to the end, especially Davis. However, they managed to withstand the Nuggets’ onslaught in the fourth match, although at one point, it seemed like a repeat of the previous three encounters was imminent. The fact that no team in NBA history has ever come back from a 3-0 deficit to win a series (out of 153 instances where a team trailed 3-0) speaks volumes about how far the Lakers are from turning the tide in this series, with only four instances of a series going to a seventh game.
To secure a win on the road and bring the series back to Los Angeles, the Lakers will need to deliver their best performance yet and try to neutralize Jamal Murray while taking control of the game in the final five minutes to avoid another nail-biting finish.
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Denver Nuggets vs Los Angeles Lakers H2H
By winning the last game, the Los Angeles Lakers put an end to a streak of 11 consecutive losses against this opponent.
Absences and Injuries
Tip-off Time: Tuesday, 30.04.2024, 04:00 CET
Prediction: Denver Nuggets -6.5
Odds: 1.75
Sportsbook: 22Bet
*Odds are active at the time the article is published
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