Los Angeles Lakers at Denver Nuggets Game 1 odds, picks and predictions

Corey Scott

Staff Writer

The Los Angeles Lakers and Denver Nuggets meet in Game 1 of a best-of-7 Western Conference 1st-round series Saturday. Tip-off from Ball Arena is scheduled for 8:30 p.m. ET (ABC). Let's analyze BetMGM Sportsbook's lines around the Lakers vs. Nuggetsodds and make our expert NBA picks and predictions.

Regular-season series: Nuggets won 3-0

The Lakers enter this rematch of last season's Western Conference Finals on a 3-game winning streak, including back-to-back victories over the New Orleans Pelicans to clinch the 7 seed.

The Nuggets, who are the 2 seed and defending NBA champs, closed out their regular season on a 4-1 straight-up (SU) and against-the-spread (ATS) run.

Denver went 33-8 SU and 21-19-1 ATS at home in the regular season, while L.A. was 20-21 SU and 19-22 ATS on the road.

The Nuggets covered in all 3 meetings against Los Angeles this season, and the Under went 2-1. Their most recent meeting March 2 was a 124-114 Nuggets road win with the Over (231.5) cashing in downtown L.A. F LeBron James hit 40,000 career points, but C Nikola Jokic led Denver to victory with 35 points and 10 rebounds.

Denver swept L.A. 4-0 in the conference finals last season, going 2-2 ATS as the Over/Under (O/U) also went 2-2.

Lakers at Nuggets odds

Provided by BetMGM Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 9:40 a.m. ET.

Moneyline (ML): Lakers +230 (bet $100 to win $230) | Nuggets -300 (bet $300 to win $100)
Against the spread (ATS): Lakers +7.5 (-115) | Nuggets -7.5 (-105)
Over/Under (O/U): 226.5 (O: -105 | U: -115)

Lakers at Nuggets key injuries

Lakers

C Anthony Davis (back) probable
F LeBron James (ankle) probable

Nuggets

None

For most recent updates: Official NBA injury report.

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Lakers at Nuggets picks and predictions

Prediction

Lakers 111, Nuggets 110

Moneyline

It's hard to beat a James-led team 9 straight times, and that's what the Nuggets will be trying to do Saturday.

You could say that the Nuggets have the Lakers' number; however, L.A. was a 1-point favorite in the March 2 meeting and led by as many as 11 before falling flat once James hit 40,000 points.

Split up your bet and put no more than 1/3 on the Lakers to get the upset win in Game 1 on the road, just like they did at the Memphis Grizzlies in the 1st round last season.

SPRINKLE THE ML with LAKERS (+230).

Against the spread

L.A. is a veteran team that doesn't get overwhelmed playing in hostile environments. It understands the importance of stealing the 1st road game in a series and went 3-0 ATS in its Game 1s last season, each time as an underdog.

The Lakers opened as 6-point underdogs, and the line has moved away from them; however, the same thing happened in Game 1 of the 1st round last season when they opened as 2-point underdogs and closed catching 5 at the Grizzlies.

Trust L.A. to continue outperforming expectation on the road in Game 1s.

BET LAKERS +7.5 (-115).

Over/Under

Unders went 4-2 in the play-in games (5-1 depending on which line you got), and it seems the referees are allowing a more physical style of play in the postseason.

The only teams that put up more than 112 points were the Sacramento Kings, who were just running up the score against the hopeless Golden State Warriors, and the Atlanta Hawks and Chicago Bulls, the 2 lowest-rated defenses in the NBA Play-In Tournament.

This total jumped up 2 more points Saturday morning, which plays right into our hands.

BET UNDER 226.5 (-115).

For more sports betting picks and tips, check out SportsbookWire.com and BetFTW.

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