NBA Betting – Los Angeles Lakers at Denver Nuggets
A gargantuan battle in the Western Conference will send the Los Angeles Lakers and Denver Nuggets into the All-Star break. It’ll also be a two-game swing in the standings between the top teams in the West. The Lakers lead Denver by 3.0 games heading into Wednesday’s showdown and both teams did what they needed to in advance of the third of four meetings this season. The Lakers beat Phoenix while the Nuggets overcame a 23-point deficit to knockoff San Antonio. The teams split the first two encounters with each winning on the road. CLAIM YOUR WELOME BONUS HERE - MAXIMUM $1000
Los Angeles Lakers at Denver Nuggets
Date and Time: Wednesday, February 12, 2020, 10 p.m. ET
Location: Pepsi Center, Denver, CO
Opening NBA Odds: Check Back Later
Lakers at Nuggets TV Coverage: ESPN
Odds Analysis
The two best teams in the West have a combined .736 winning percentage and they are both on runs heading in. With Monday’s 125-100 win over Phoenix, the Lakers have won two straight and four of their last five scoring at least 125 points in four of those outings with the OVER at 4-1. The Lakers won, 105-96, in Denver earlier this season as a 2.5-point dog, and their 22 road wins are the most in the NBA. They are 14-13 ATS in away games. The Nuggets’ comeback against the Spurs extended their winning streak to four games where they are 4-0 ATS. They’ve won four straight and six of seven at home while going 21-6 SU and 13-12-2 ATS at Pepsi Center.
Los Angeles Lakers
There were some concerns recently when the Lakers went 2-3 then nearly blew a 21-point lead on the road to the Warriors. They held on to beat Golden State and thoroughly blasted Phoenix in their last outing becoming the third team in the Association to win 40 games. The Lakers have now won more games than they did in any of the previous six seasons. Having LeBron James alongside Anthony Davis will do that for any team.
While LeBron and AD are the centerpieces of the club, the Lakers have received contributions from a lot of people to propel them to the best record in the West. Davis leads the team with 26.5 points and 9.2 rebounds per game while James averages 24.8 points and a NBA-best 10.7 assists. They are one of two sets of teammates averaging more than 24.5 points per game. Both had 25 points in LA’s win in Denver in early December.
The Lakers scored at least 111 points in each of their last six games averaging 123 over that span. And they’ve been one of the most efficient offensive teams all season with a league-leading 48.8 field percentage and 114.6 points a night. Against the Suns, Rajon Rondo and Dwight Howard were two of the standout complementary pieces. Rondo scored 15 of his season-best 23 points in the second quarter helping LA to big lead. Howard added 14 points and 15 rebounds. “It’s time to destroy teams and not give them any hope. We have to dominate from the first quarter to the fourth quarter,” Howard said after the 25-point win.
Denver Nuggets
While the Lakers were silent at the deadline, though it wasn’t for lack of effort, the Nuggets made some moves that they hope improve the club. The biggest thing for them, though, is getting everyone healthy. That’s where the break comes in. Denver is going to be thin up front with Mason Plumlee out and Michael Porter Jr. unlikely to play. They did get Paul Millsap back recently after an extended absence and he scored 22 points in the win over San Antonio.
Like the Lakers, the Nuggets have a pair of stars to lean on. Nikola Jokic should get MVP recognition for the season he’s having. Dealing with foul trouble while trying to defend LaMarcus Aldridge the other night, Jokic tallied 19 points. He hadn’t scored less than 23 in a game all month and is averaging 28.0 points per game in February. For the season he leads the team in scoring (20.6), rebounding (10.2) and assists (6.9). He’s one of only two Nuggets to appear in every game this season.
Since returning from a 10-game injury absence, Jamal Murray has been on fire. He’s scored at least 20 points in all four contests, twice went over 30, and he’s averaging 28.3 per game while shooting 59 percent from field and 48.4 percent from deep. The two combined for only 24 points in Denver’s 128-104 win in LA on Dec. 22, but they caught the Lakers without LeBron. “It feels good to get a win in L.A. even if LeBron wasn’t playing,” Jokic said.
Bet Lakers at Nuggets at BookMaker.eu
Beating Utah with only seven healthy players last week shows us just how gritty the Nuggets are. They are also pretty good. But with size lacking up front and LeBron on the floor this time, the Lakers are poised to show Denver who’s the boss in the Western Conference.
NBA Score Prediction: Los Angeles 117, Denver 110
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