The Los Angeles Lakers, sans elbow-throwing Ron “World Peace” Artest, begin their playoffs with a first-round series with the Denver Nuggets, starting Sunday afternoon.
Sportsbook is chalking LA at -4.5 for Sunday's series opener (3:30 pm Eastern, ABC), with the 'over/under' at 202.
They also list the Lakers at -235 to win this series, with the Nuggets getting +195 to pull the upset.
On the NBA betting futures market Sportsbook is offering LA at 7/1 to win the Western Conference and 14/1 to win the NBA title, while Denver can be gotten at 35/1 to win the West and 75/1 to win it all.
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The Lakers rallied this season to go 41-25 and win the Pacific Division once again, this time by one game over the Clippers. They didn't finish all that well, though, going 6-5 over their last 11 games, and enter these playoffs as the three seed in the West.
On a personnel note “World Peace” will miss the first six games of the Lakers' postseason, if they get that far, thanks to that cheap-shot elbow he threw at Oklahoma City's James Harden last Sunday.
Denver, meanwhile, won eight of its last 10 games to sneak into the six spot in the West. The Nuggets actually started this season by winning 14 of their first 19 games, but then got bit by the injury bug. [ Bet the Lakers to lose at Sportsbook and pocket a whopping bonus ]
They eventually dropped to just two games above .500 before recovering for their home-stretch run.
The Lakers took three of four games from the Nuggets this season, but the series was closer than one might think. LA's victories came by three, four and six points. And all four games played 'under' their posted totals.
Denver led the league in scoring this year at 104 PPG, and ranked 29th in allowing 101 PPG. But the oddsmakers are on to them, because they only went 32-33 on the 'over/unders.'
The Nuggets actually fared fairly well on the road this year, going 18-15 straight-up and a profitable 22-11 against-the-spread. LA, meanwhile, went 26-7 SU but only 16-17 ATS at home.
Lakers vs Nuggets prop Bets from Sportsbook:
Series Price
Denver Nuggets (Series Prices) 39/20 (+195)
Los Angeles Lakers (Series Prices) 20/47 (-235)
Exact Series Result
Los Angeles Lakers 4-0 8/1
Los Angeles Lakers 4-1 11/4
Los Angeles Lakers 4-2 17/4
Los Angeles Lakers 4-3 11/4
Denver Nuggets 4-0 25/1
Denver Nuggets 4-1 14/1
Denver Nuggets 4-2 21/4
Denver Nuggets 4-3 17/2
Total Games in Series
Over Games O 5½ 20/33 (-165)
Under Games U 5½ 27/20 (+135)
Total Games in Series
4 13/2
5 43/20
6 19/10
7 7/4
Series Game Spread
Los Angeles Lakers +1½ 2/9 (-450)
Denver Nuggets -1½ 13/4 (+325)
Series Game Spread
Los Angeles Lakers -1½ 20/21 (-105)
Denver Nuggets +1½ 4/5 (-125)
Where will the Series be Decided?
Staples Center, Los Angeles 6/5 (+120)
Pepsi Center, Denver 2/3 (-150)
Player Props
Average First Round Points Per Game - Kobe Bryant
Over/ Under 28.5
Average First Round Points Per Game - Andrew Bynum
Over/ Under 19.5
Average First Round Rebounds Per Game - Andrew Bynum
Over/ Under 12
Average First Round Points Per Game - Pau Gasol
Over/ Under 17.5
Average First Round Rebounds Per Game - Pau Gasol
Over/ Under 10.5
Average First Round Points Per Game - Ramon Sessions
Over/ Under 12.5
Average First Round Points Per Game - Ty Lawson
Over/ Under 17
Average First Round Assists Per Game - Ty Lawson
Over/ Under 6.5
Average First Round Points Per Game - Arron Afflalo
Over/ Under 15.5
Average First Round Points Per Game - Danilo Gallinari
Over/ Under 14
