Lakers vs Nuggets Game 1 Prediction & Best Bets: Can Los Angeles Finally Figure Out Denver?

Last season, the Denver Nuggets made light work of the Los Angeles Lakers in the Western Conference finals to reach the NBA Finals for the first time. Will we see a similar result in their first-round matchup this season, or will tonight’s Game 1 (8:30 pm ET, ABC) indicate that things will be more competitive this time around?

When the two teams met in the playoffs last season, the Nuggets swept the Lakers and wrapped up their first Western Conference title by overcoming a 15-point halftime deficit in Game 4 at Crypto.com Arena.

The series wasn’t uncompetitive, but there was an air of inevitability about the outcome, just as there was about the Nuggets’ other series wins on their way to winning a long-awaited championship.

The reigning champions may have missed out on the #1 seed in the West, but they are expected to defend their conference crown.

Their quest to repeat starts with being firmly favored to see off LeBron and AD in the first round. At BetOnline, the second-seeded Nuggets are -328 to win the series, while the seventh-seeded Lakers come in with +273 odds.

That doesn’t make them the biggest favorite in the first round—the Boston Celtics are by a long, long, long distance—but it does show that the Lakers have a tall task ahead of them to take down presumptive MVP Nikola Jokic and the Nuggets.

Will that only be further confirmed in today’s series opener? Or will the Lakers spring a surprise right out of the gate? Read on.

Los Angeles Lakers vs Denver Nuggets Odds

Odds are courtesy of BetOnline, a longtime fixture among the top online sports betting sites. Check out our BetOnline sportsbook review, then bag a big bonus (100% if your first deposit is with Bitcoin, Ethereum, or another cryptocurrency) to bet on today’s NBA playoff action.

Spread

• Los Angeles Lakers +7 (-110)
• Denver Nuggets -7 (-110)

Over/Under

• Over 226.5 (-110)
• Under 226.5 (-110)

Moneyline

• Los Angeles Lakers +220
• Denver Nuggets -260

Get free and reliable moneyline, spread, and over/under consensus picks for every NBA matchup, including this one, from our NBA picks page.

Los Angeles Lakers vs Denver Nuggets Prediction and Best Bets

The last time that the Lakers defeated the Nuggets was December 16, 2022, a 126-108 win at Crypto.com Arena.

Since then, Denver has won eight straight against Los Angeles, including all three meetings this season.

In each win in the regular season, the Nuggets were able to comfortably cover the spread, including a March 2 win in L.A. when they were a slight underdog.

Lakers vs Nuggets Head-to-Head Results This Season

• March 2 (Los Angeles): Denver 124-114
• February 8 (Los Angeles): Denver 114-106
• October 24 (Denver): Denver 119-107

Is there any reason to believe that tonight will be different?

The Lakers are on a nice run at the moment, going 12-3 SU and 9-6 ATS in their last 15 games. In that stretch, they are 8-1 SU and 6-3 ATS on the road, which is certainly a positive when they will need to win at least once on the road to win this series.

Also, of the teams who have played 20 or more games as a road underdog this season, the Lakers are one of eight teams to win 40% or more of the time as a road underdog.

Still, it feels like it will take a lot to solve the Nuggets, even with both LeBron and AD being productive right now even when they don’t shoot well.

LeBron didn’t shoot well at all in Tuesday’s play-in win over the New Orleans Pelicans, going 6 of 20. It broke a run of nine straight games in which he shot 50% or better from the field. But he finished a rebound and an assist short of a triple-double (23 points, nine rebounds, nine assists).

AD didn’t shoot well either, going 6 of 16. Entering the game, he had made 50% or better from the field in 11 of 13 games. However, he finished with 20 points, 15 rebounds, and three blocks against his former team.

It’s going to take their best efforts—and the best efforts of the supporting cast—for the Lakers to have a chance to down Denver tonight and in the series. Can they do it? Anything’s possible, but for now it feels like too tough of an ask.

Lakers vs Nuggets Prediction: Nuggets to win

Lakers vs Nuggets Best Bets: Nuggets -7 & Lakers/Nuggets over 226.5

Other NBA Playoffs Betting Information

Where to Bet on the NBA Playoffs

Many of the top online sportsbooks offer a wide variety of NBA betting odds throughout the season.

In addition to being able to bet on 2024 NBA championship odds, you can make daily NBA picks on odds for every game all season long, including NBA playoffs odds.

Also, you can bet on the All-Star Game, NBA Draft odds, and the major awards like NBA MVP, NBA Rookie of the Year, and more at most reputable sports betting sites.

There are plenty of sports betting sites you can choose from that are good for NBA betting. In addition to BetOnline, here are several books that we have reviewed and highly recommend:

• BetDSI (review)
• BetUS (review)
• Bookmaker (review)
• Bovada (review)
• MyBookie (review)
• Sportsbetting.ag (review)

If you don’t have an account at a book on this list, check out our reviews to help you determine if it is worth your interest and your betting funds.

Bovada is one of the best sports betting sites for NBA player props, as they offer a plethora of prop markets for every game on the schedule. They also have a hefty welcome bonus for cryptocurrency users (75% up to $750).

Interested in Learning More About NBA Betting?

Looking to learn more about the ins and outs of betting on the NBA? Check out our NBA betting guide. Also, if you’d like to learn more about NBA player prop bets, check out our NBA player props guide.

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