Los Angeles Lakers at Denver Nuggets Betting Preview
It’s the National Basketball Association season opener, as the Los Angeles Lakers head to Denver to take on the defending champion Nuggets on Tuesday.
Both these teams made the postseason a season ago, with the Lakers finishing 43-39 in the regular season and winning 8 out of their last 10.
After moving on in the play-in round and then eliminating the Grizzlies and Warriors, the Lakers were swept by Denver in the Western Conference Finals. For the Nuggets, they were the top seed in the West, with their 53 wins in the regular season. Denver went on to beat the Miami Heat in the NBA Finals.
The Denver Nuggets are -4.5 over the Los Angeles Lakers in this game, and the total is listed at 228.5 points.
Jokic Leading the Denver Charge
The preseason was up and down for Denver, with three wins in five games; the Nuggets finished their preseason slate with a win on the road at the Clippers. Now, the Nuggets will put their best foot forward and look to get started on defending their title.
The Nuggets, of course, are anchored by the big man Nikola Jokic. The NBA Finals MVP did everything a season ago. He ranked 18th in the league with 24.5 points per game while in the Top 3 in rebounds and assists, with 11.8 and 9.8, respectively.
The 41st overall pick in the 2014 draft will turn 29 years old this season. Many around the league do not believe there is a more skilled player in the league.
Obviously, Jamal Murray and Aaron Gordon are huge pieces to the puzzle in Denver. But Christian Braun is starting his second year in the league and a major weapon for Denver. Braun scored just shy of 5 points per game last season, but those numbers are expected to go up with more playing time this season.
Veterans Leading Los Angeles
LeBron James and Anthony Davis are the main men in Los Angeles, but the secondary pieces are a big deal for this team. LeBron, who was the first pick all the way back in 2003, is the oldest active player in the league this season.
James will turn 39 years old and still scored nearly 29 points per game a season ago. James also ripped down 8.3 rebounds and dished out 6.8 assists per game.
Anthony Davis also continues to assault NBA statistics. The big man from Kentucky is 30 years old and still scoring 26 points per game. Davis also averaged 12.5 rebounds per game last season. Davis’s issue has been his health. The top pick in the 2012 draft will look to put a full season together.
The Lakers pieces around him feature Austin Reaves, Jarred Vanderbilt, D’Angelo Russell, Gabe Vincent, Christian Wood, and Rui Hachimura. Raves broke out last season, scoring 13 points per game.
Fantastic Season Opener in Denver
This should be an excellent basketball game. These two teams are loaded with talent and as healthy as they will be. The Lakers have high hopes of moving up the standings and getting back to the postseason. The Lakers are certainly aging, but those guys are talented.
Look for the Lakers to stick around in this game, as the Nuggets have been known to start slow, and with the emotions of defending the title, the Lakers hang in. In the end, though, the Nuggets win in a tight one.
Bet the Los Angeles Lakers +4.5 over the Denver Nuggets in the first game of the 2023-2024 NBA season! Enjoy the game, and good luck!
