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We're back and ready to bring you our betting prediction and pick for Saturday's marquee NBA matchup between contenders in the Western Conference. The Denver Nuggets (41-19) will face off against the Los Angeles Lakers (33-28) as the two teams conclude their season series. Check out our NBA odds series for our Nuggets-Lakers prediction and pick.
The Denver Nuggets are currently third in the Northwest Division and they're the three-seed in the Western Conference standings. They've won their last five consecutive games heading into this one and just beat the Miami Heat in a close 103-97 win on their home floor. They look to stay perfect against the Lakers on the season.
The Los Angeles Lakers are currently fourth in the Pacific Division and they hold the nine-spot in the Western standings. They're 7-3 over their last 10 games and they're coming in off back-to-back wins over the Clippers and Wizards ahead of this one. They'll be searching for their first win over Denver on the season.
Here are the NBA odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
NBA Odds: Nuggets-Lakers Odds
Denver Nuggets: +1.5 (-110)
Moneyline: -106
Los Angeles Lakers: -1.5 (-110)
Moneyline: -112
Over: 231.5 (-110)
Under: 231.5 (-110)
How to Watch Nuggets vs. Lakers
Time: 8:30 p.m. ET/ 5:30 p.m. PT
TV: ABC, ESPN, NBA League Pass
Stream: fuboTV (Click for free trial)
Why The Nuggets Could Cover The Spread/Win
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The Nuggets are showing their championship muscle right now and they've taken down the Warriors, Kings, and Heat in consecutive games heading into this one. Nikola Jokic has notched three-straight triple-doubles through those wins and he almost single-handily fended off the Miami Heat's rally in their last game. For some reason, he continues to be one of the most under-appreciated stars the league has ever seen and he's the biggest factor in this team's success. Look for the Nuggets to continue rolling as far as Jokic takes them.
Jamal Murray had a rough game their last time out and he'll be day-to-day ahead of this matchup. Michael Porter Jr. has stepped up in a massive way this season and notched 30 points in the favorable matchup against the Heat. It's a constant reminder how deep this Nuggets team is and they've been rather consistent in their output all year. Look out for them to make another championship run if they can lock-in their defense.
Why The Lakers Could Cover The Spread/Win
The Lakers have been exciting to see over the last few games and LeBron James just saw his highest scoring month of the season with over 27 PPG in the month of February. It's mind-boggling what he's doing at his age and he's likely to become the first player in NBA history to surpass the 40,000 career-point total with just nine points to go ahead of this game. Knowing LeBron, he'll get the milestone out of the way early so the Lakers can focus on picking up this pivotal win against a team that's had their number all season.
The Lakers have been extremely physical over the last few games and their healthy roster is playing back to full-strength once again. Anthony Davis has been a stern defensive presence and Austin Reaves continues to build his confidence as a go-to option for them. If LeBron James can continue to inspire this team late in the season, they could make a playoff push, but it's going to take more of an effort than they've seen over the last few weeks.
Final Nuggets-Lakers Prediction & Pick
The Denver Nuggets are 2-0 against the Los Angeles Lakers this season and they've outscored them by a combined 20 points through the two meetings. This game on primetime is likely to be about LeBron and his milestone achievement, but expect both teams to be playing for the win in a tight Western Conference race.
It'll be interesting to see how much LeBron has in his tank following his monstrous month of February. With a matchup between LeBron James and Nikola Jokic, we're bound to see a triple-double from one of them and a big performance from Jokic could spoil the Lakers' special night. The matchup between the guards will also be one to watch as Jamal Murray could be sidelined ahead of this game.
While the Lakers are playing great basketball right now, the Nuggets have been much more consistent and able to sustain their winning streaks. They're playing much better on defense as of late and they've liked this matchup with the Lakers all season. For our prediction, let's roll with the Denver Nuggets to cover on the road and extend their winning streak to six.
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Final Nuggets-Lakers Prediction & Pick: Denver Nuggets +1.5 (-110)
