Denver Nuggets vs Los Angeles Lakers prediction – NBA – 20/4/2024
LeBron James and co. will travel to Denver to lock horns against the reigning NBA champions, Denver Nuggets in the first round of the Playoffs.
The Denver Nuggets will host the Los Angeles Lakers on Saturday at the Ball Arena for the opening encounter between the two teams in the first round of the Playoffs. The Western Conference clash promises to be a thriller as some of the big superstars will feature in this clash. Both teams will look to take the early initiative by winning the first game but the Nuggets will have some edge courtesy of their home advantage.
Nuggets vs Lakers: NBA Prediction – Best Bets:
The Nuggets are in good form this season and will be the favourites to win the first game in this Playoff series considering they have the home court advantage. Here are some of the most likely outcomes from this epic encounter:
- Nuggets to win Game 1 against the Lakers.
- Nikola Jokic to have a decisive game.
- It promises to be a high-scoring fixture
Denver Nuggets to win – Parimatch @ 1.34, BET HERE
The Nuggets are coming into the Playoffs this season after securing the second spot in the Western Conference. They are a balanced outfit and are considered the favourites to clinch the Championship. Mike Malone’s men boast a great record against the Lakers, having won their last seven games. On Saturday, they will look to extend that glorious run.
Nikola Jokic points total over 27.5 – Stake @ 1.83, BET HERE
Nikola Jokic has been the main man for the Denver Nuggets for the last few seasons. He had an outstanding last season and has replicated that form in the 2023-24 campaign. In the regular season, Jokic has averaged 26.4 points, 12.4 rebounds and nine assists. The Serbian is also leading the MVP race and has registered four 35-plus points with 15-plus rebounds games this season.
Points total over 222.5 – 1xBet @ 1.74, BET HERE
One must expect a high scoring encounter when these two teams lock horns against each other. The Nuggets have won all three meetings against the Lakers this season. They combined to score at least 220 points in all three games. Therefore, we can expect another high scoring thriller on Saturday.
Nuggets vs Lakers Betting Bonus Offers
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Head-to-Head Record: Nuggets vs Lakers
The Lakers have a massive advantage over the Nuggets in the all-time head-to-head metric. However, in recent times, the Nuggets have reigned supreme. They knocked out the Lakers last season in the Western Conference finals and went on to lift their maiden Championship title. It was a dominating performance from Nikola Jokic and the team as they swept the Lakers 4-0 in a crucial series.
The Nuggets have maintained that dominance this season by winning all three games in the regular season. However, the Lakers have won 25 out of 37 games against the Nuggets in the postseason. Also in the all-time Playoff series record, the Lakers have a 7-1 advantage over the Nuggets.
Denver Nuggets
After winning the NBA Championship last season, the Nuggets are desperate to defend their crown. They have genuinely played like contenders in this campaign as they finished second in the Western Conference. Led by their talisman Nikola Jokic, the Nuggets have a very complete lineup. All eyes will be on Jamal Murray, who brings out his best during the postseason. The likes of Michael Porter Jr. and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope are also extremely talented role players.
The Nuggets finished the regular season with 57 wins, tied for the best in the West with the Oklahoma City Thunder. But the Thunder won the tiebreaker so Michael Malone’s team had to settle for the second spot.
Los Angeles Lakers
The Lakers will be heading into this fixture after beating the New Orleans Pelicans 110-106 in the Play-In tournament. They blew hot and cold in this campaign and finished seventh in the regular season. They will now have an uphill task to beat the Nuggets in the first round of the Playoffs. Darwin Ham’s men have struggled to restrict Jokic, who has scored atleast a double-double in all their meetings this campaign.
Meanwhile, Ham will need his best players, LeBron James, Anthony Davis and D’Angelo Russell step up to the challenge. The Lakers are ranked 17th in the league this season defensively and it has been their primary concern.
Where to watch Nuggets vs Lakers
Here are the options that fans can use to watch Game 1 between the Nuggets and the Lakers:
- The game will be broadcast live on ABC in the entire United States.
- The mouth-watering encounter will also be streamed live on NBA League Pass.
- Fans can also stream the game on betting websites like 1xBet, Dafabet, Parimatch and Bet365. Check the app for more streaming details.
Nuggets vs Lakers stats
The Nuggets are one of the best offensive teams in the NBA this season. They have averaged 114.9 points per game in the current campaign. Therefore they are ranked fifth in the overall offensive rating. Meanwhile, the Lakers have conceded an average of 117.44 points in the 2023-24 NBA season.
The hosts are better in several aspects than their opponents and therefore the Lakers need an outstanding performance to put up some fight.
Nuggets vs Lakers – Key Points
Favourite to win the match
The reigning champions are firm favourites to take a 1-0 lead on Saturday at home against the Lakers. Their main man Jokic has averaged 20.2 points against the Lakers in his career and will look to continue in the same manner. Overall, the hosts have a more balanced lineup and are expected to take the initiative.
Which team has more victories
Michael Malone’s men finished the regular season with a record of 57-25 while the Lakers could only manage 47 wins (47-35). The Nuggets also boast a brilliant home record this season with 33 wins and only eight losses.
