Los Angeles Lakers vs Denver Nuggets: Analysis and Prediction – Los Angeles Lakers and Denver Nuggets will play an NBA Playoffs game.
Los Angeles Lakers vs Denver Nuggets Odds
Los Angeles Lakers Team News
The Los Angeles Lakers have failed to win any of the first games on the road against the Denver Nuggets. Despite holding a lead of over 20 points at one point, they collapsed defensively in the final moments, putting immense pressure on them after falling behind 2-0.
What’s clear after these two games is that LeBron James can’t carry the team alone for the entire 48 minutes. He needs help from his teammates, especially in three-point shooting, which has been a problem for the Lakers so far. Austin Reaves isn’t playing at the level he did last year, and D’Angelo Russell is struggling to find an answer for the Nuggets’ backcourt. The Lakers aren’t capitalizing on the advantage Anthony Davis can offer. In the previous game, he shot 14/15 until midway through the third quarter, but then only took four more shots, with just one in the final quarter. It’s crucial for his teammates to recognize when to feed him the ball, as it’s somewhat unbelievable that after such a performance in the early part of the game, he didn’t score from the field in the last 19 minutes of the game. The return of Jarred Vanderbilt and Christian Wood could be significant for the Los Angeles Lakers.
If they want to break the negative streak and secure a win, they must first and foremost control the rebounds and perform much better in “box and out” situations, where they’re allowing the opponent too many offensive rebounds. Additionally, the backcourt needs to improve their three-point shooting percentages, and Anthony Davis must receive more touches in the paint, as he’s capable of making a difference.
Denver Nuggets Team News
The Denver Nuggets have lived up to their role as favorites and defended their home court in the first two games against the Los Angeles Lakers. In the first matchup, they triumphed 114:103, while in the second game, they won 101:99 after erasing a 20-point deficit, with Jamal Murray scoring the game-winning basket.
The starting lineup of Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray, Michael Porter, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, and Aaron Gordon is arguably the most complete in the NBA, both offensively and defensively. They can make a significant difference on both ends of the court and have shown particular adaptability to any opponent’s style of play. This was evident in the previous game when Nikola Jokic initially guarded Anthony Davis, but when they saw it wasn’t working, Aaron Gordon took over. Similarly, we saw adjustments such as Caldwell-Pope guarding LeBron James after Aaron Gordon switched to Davis. The most positive aspect for the Denver Nuggets is that they lead 2-0, and there’s still significant room for improvement on both ends of the court.
Ball movement in the offense is the key to their incredible winning streak against the Los Angeles Lakers. Nikola Jokic is the focal point from which everything starts, and off-ball movements are where the Nuggets have profited the most, exploiting every defensive lapse by their opponents, often resulting in open three-point shots or lob passes after backdoor cuts by Gordon and Porter.
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Los Angeles Lakers vs Denver Nuggets H2H
Absences and Injuries
Los Angeles Lakers vs Denver Nuggets Prediction
Tip-off Time: Friday, 26.04.2024, 04:00 CET
Prediction: Los Angeles Lakers to win
Odds: 1.90
Sportsbook: MyBookie
*Odds are active at the time the article is published
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