The Los Angeles Lakers come to town on Tuesday night for a showdown with the Denver Nuggets. These are two of the best teams in the Western Conference, and this could be a preview of the conference championship series. The Lakers have plenty of hype and excitement surrounding their team, while the Nuggets win games the blue-collar way.
Both teams are coming into this game off a loss, but they have combined for just seven losses this season. Los Angeles leads the Western Conference with a record of 17-3 this season, and it has plenty of blowout wins. Denver is 13-4 so far this season, and the Nuggets have gone 8-2 at home. The Nuggets look like a title contender again this season. Denver is a three-point favorite over the Lakers in this game.
LeBron, AD Carrying Lakers
LeBron James was not able to form another “Big Three” in Los Angeles, but he was able to team up with one of the best players in the NBA. Power forward Anthony Davis has been an absolute monster in his first season in Los Angeles, and he has definitely taken some pressure off of James. Davis is averaging 26.1 points and 9.3 rebounds per game, while James has chipped in with 25.7 points and 10.9 assists. These two players are not fun to deal with.
The Lakers are averaging more than 112 points per game this season, but they aren’t as explosive as they could be. Los Angeles is still looking to find more depth, and the Nuggets might be catching them at the right time. The Lakers are also giving up just 104 points per game, and James and Davis are elite rim-protectors that can keep teams out of the paint.
Nuggets Still Need More Offense
If the Denver Nuggets are going to get out of the Western Conference this season, they are going to need more offense. The Nuggets are scoring just 106 points per game and failed to reach the century mark in the loss to the Kings over the weekend. Defense remains solid for this team, as they are holding opponents to just 104 points per game. Defense might win championships, but having some offense doesn’t hurt either.
All-Star center Nikola Jokic has been terrific again this season, and he continues to get better. The Joker leads this team with 10.4 rebounds and 6.0 assists per game and has chipped in with 15 points. Point guard Jamal Murray is averaging 18.5 points to lead the team, but the Nuggets still need to shoot the ball with more consistency.
Denver Gives Lakers Second Straight Loss
Both of these teams really play defense at a high level, and this will likely be a low-scoring game. Denver is a much better team when playing that style, and it is almost impossible to beat at home. James and Davis have been doing it all for the Lakers this season, but they still need some more help. The Lakers are going to give the Nuggets a run for their money, but Denver is winning this game. Bet the Denver Nuggets -2.0 over the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday night.
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