The Los Angeles Lakers will have a 3-0 series lead in their sights on Friday night as they hit the hardwood in Denver against the Nuggets in the third game of their best-of-seven first-round set.
Los Angeles won the first two games of the series at home over the past week, paying off in just one of those two contests for bettors on the NBA lines; the Nuggets covered in a 104-100 loss on Tuesday.
The Nuggets currently sports a record of 38-28, and have posted a corresponding betting slate of 36-30 ATS. The Lakers are 41-25 and 27-39 ATS. Betting totals have seen the Nuggets post a 32-33-1 OVER/UNDER record this season, while the Lakers have gone 37-29 against the number.
View LA Lakers vs Denver Odds and Stats.
Betting Line:
Sportsbooks had the Nuggets installed as 4-point favorites in this particular matchup at Sportsbook. The over-under number was listed by most sportsbooks at 204, including Sportsbook.
Power Rankings / Prediction:
The Power Rankings at Odds Shark have the No. 7-rated Lakers taking on the No. 18-rated Nuggets in this contest. Computer models indicate a possible 103-101 win for the Nuggets on Friday.
How They Match Up:
Offensively, the game matches up Denver's No. 1-ranked offense (104.1 PPG) against a Lakers defense that ranks No. 15 at 95.9 PPG. The Nuggets have averaged 47.6% from the field per game, more than the Lakers have managed so far this season (45.7% on average).
In comparing how the teams stack up statistically, the Lakers own the league's No. 18-rated mark, allowing 99 points per game when on the road. Denver, on the other hand, rates No. 3 in home scoring.
Denver lost its last outing, a 104-100 result against the Lakers on May 1. The Nuggets covered in that game as a 5.5-point underdog, while the 204 combined points took the game OVER the total. Denver got 25 points from Ty Lawson en route to a 104-100 loss against Los Angeles on Tuesday at STAPLES Center.
Los Angeles Lakers Trends:
When playing on Friday are 6-4
Before playing Denver are 7-3
After playing Denver are 6-4
After a win are 6-4
Denver Nuggets Trends:
When playing on Friday are 6-4
Before playing LA Lakers are 6-4
After playing LA Lakers are 4-6
After a loss are 8-2
A few Lakers at Nuggets trends to consider:
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of the LA Lakers last 8 games when playing Denver
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of the LA Lakers last 6 games when playing on the road against Denver
LA Lakers are 5-1 SU in their last 6 games when playing Denver
The total has gone OVER in 4 of the LA Lakers last 5 games
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Denver's last 8 games when playing LA Lakers
Denver is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Denver's last 6 games when playing at home against LA Lakers
Denver is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games
Next up:
LA Lakers at Denver, Sunday, May 6
Denver home to LA Lakers, Sunday, May 6
