Lakers vs Nuggets Odds, and Picks (Game 1)

• The Lakers took down the Warriors in Game 6, 122-101.
• Denver defeated the Suns, 125-100, also winning in Game 6.
• Los Angeles is 2-2 on the season as a whole against the Nuggets.

The Lakers (51-43) and Nuggets (61-32) meet for Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals. Los Angeles is hoping to bring LeBron James to his 11th NBA Finals, while Denver is aiming to make it for the first time.

How to Watch

• ESPN

Preview

Los Angeles cruised past the Warriors in Game 6, winning the series, and earning a spot in the Western Conference Finals. It’ll be a rematch of the 2020 WCF, when the Lakers took down the Nuggets in just 5 games. They’ll be aiming for a similar performance this series, hoping to return to the Finals once again. The Nuggets were much stronger during the regular season, but this is a much different Lakers team now.

The Nuggets took down the Suns on the road in Game 6, winning by a large margin, and advancing to the Western Conference Finals. They once again find themselves knocking on the door of their first-ever NBA Finals appearance. The Nuggets will need to find a way to overcome a perennially competitive playoff LeBron James in order to advance. The first two games of this series in Denver will be crucial for them.

Picks

The Lakers won Game 1 against the Grizzlies in Memphis, and Game 1 against the Warriors in the Bay. That proves their ability to flip the script and win on the road, especially in the first game of a series. I see this series following a similar pattern, with the Lakers and Nuggets likely splitting the first two games in Denver. If that happens, I definitely like Los Angeles’ chances of winning Game 1. I’ll take the Lakers here, 118-112.

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