Lakers vs. Nuggets Prediction & Odds
The seventh-seeded Los Angeles Lakers remain in Denver to face the top-seeded Nuggets on ESPN Thursday night at 8:30 PM ET in Game 2 of the Western Conference Finals in the 2023 NBA Playoffs.
Can the Lakers cover the 5.5-point spread as road underdogs?
Denver leads the series 1-0.
The Los Angeles Lakers went 43-39 in the regular season. They are 9-5 in the play-in and playoffs this year. The Lakers are 49-46-1 ATS on the season.
The Denver Nuggets went 53-29 in the regular season. They’re 9-3 in the playoffs this year. The Nuggets are 51-42-1 ATS on the season.
Game Matchup & Betting Odds
535 Los Angeles Lakers (+5.5) at 536 Denver Nuggets (-5.5); O/U 227
8:30 PM ET, Thursday, May 18, 2023
Ball Arena, Denver, CO
Lakers vs. Nuggets Public Betting Information
Our NBA Public Betting Information page indicates that 54% of public bettors are currently backing the Nuggets -5.5 in this contest. Note that these numbers are subject to change, so be sure to check the link to receive the most up-to-date public betting data.
Los Angeles Lakers DFS Spin
Lakers shooting guard Austin Reaves dropped 23 points in L.A.’s Game 1 loss in Denver on Tuesday. He shot 7 of 14 from the field and sunk 5 of 9 three-point attempts. Reaves is third on Los Angeles in scoring with 16 points per game in the postseason and he should see a healthy number of shot attempts on Thursday, making him worth a look in most DFS formats.
L.A. power forward Rui Hachimura also performed well on Tuesday. He played stellar man-to-man defense against Denver’s Nikola Jokic and poured in 17 points on 8 of 11 shooting from the field. Hachimura should receive enough minutes and shot attempts to be worth considering in DFS in a must-win game for the Lakers on Thursday.
Denver Nuggets DFS Spin
Denver small forward Michael Porter Jr. posted a double-double in the Nuggets’ 132-126 Game 1 win. He racked up 15 points and 10 rebounds while shooting 50% from the field and 50% from beyond the arc. He might get some open looks if the Lakers elect to double-team Denver center Nikola Jokic and that could boost Porter’s DFS value on Thursday.
If you’d like a more cost-effective option at small forward, consider Denver’s Bruce Brown. Brown was terrific in Game 1 of this series, as he scored 16 points, snagged 4 rebounds, and shot 6 of 11 from the field. Brown made also went 3 for 3 from the free throw line and made his only three-point attempt on Tuesday. He often performs better at home and may be an attractive DFS option in Game 2 of this series.
Lakers vs. Nuggets NBA Betting Trends
Los Angeles is 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games overall.
Los Angeles is 16-5 ATS in their last 21 games following an outright loss.
Denver is 2-5-1 ATS in their last 8 Conference Finals games.
The over is 9-3 in Denver’s last 12 games against a team with a winning straight-up record.
Lakers vs. Nuggets NBA Prediction
The Lakers need to win Game 2 on Thursday. The goal for the road team is to win at least one of the first two games in the series and Los Angeles lost Game 1 by a score of 132-126 on Tuesday. Although they lost, the Lakers showed some fight as they clawed back into the game in the fourth quarter and forced Denver to sweat out the victory. Maybe Los Angeles can carry some of that momentum into Thursday’s game.
L.A. has been excellent against good teams of late as they are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games against a team with a winning percentage over .600. The Lakers are also 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games after scoring more than 100 points in their previous game. The most important number might be L.A.’s playoff ATS record. The Lakers are 9-4 against the spread in the playoffs this year, and that figure ranks second-best in the league. In a game they have to win, I’m taking the Lakers and the points on the road in Denver on Thursday.
NBA BETTING PREDICTION: LOS ANGELES LAKERS +5.5
