Nuggets vs. Lakers Prediction: NBA Odds, Point Spread
-
Jeremy Perry
Anthony Davis returned last Saturday and LeBron James got back in action this weekend, but the Lakers are still slumping. Entering Sunday, they have lost five of six and are now in danger of falling below sixth in the Western Conference standings. That’s critical as the seventh, eighth, ninth and 10th seeds will have to play their way into the playoffs.
On Monday, they’ll host the Denver Nuggets, who have won five straight and nine of 10. Can the Lakers get back on track or will the Nuggets make a statement?
NBA Point Spread and Betting Analysis
The Nuggets have won eight of their last nine against teams with a winning record and are 6-3 against the spread in those games. They have dropped nine of their last 14 against the Lakers.
The Lakers have been a terrible bet of late as they haven’t covered in six straight games. They are just 11-19 against the spread in their 30 home games this season.
Denver Nuggets
The Nuggets will be looking to make a statement on Monday. They’ve lost star point guard Jamal Murray for the season but they’ve still been playing well. However, their goal isn’t to simply finish well in the regular season; they want playoff success. The oddsmakers aren’t putting much faith in their recent run as the Lakers are still favored to win the West even though the Nuggets are 6.5 games higher than them in the standings. This game will be an opportunity for the Nuggets to go on the road and show that their recent run is not a mirage. After beating the Los Angeles Clippers at the Staples Center, a win over the Lakers would give them a lot of confidence as the postseason approaches.
Los Angeles Lakers
The first thing to keep in mind with this contest is to check out who is playing. The Lakers played on Sunday night at home to the Toronto Raptors. This being a back-to-back situation, we might see the Lakers rest some stars or starters. On Sunday, Dennis Schroder was held out but Davis played. It might be the case that Davis is rested on Monday.
Beyond that, even if the Lakers are at full strength, there is some concern. They have had so many different lineup changes that they aren’t playing like a cohesive unit these days. The loss on Friday was particularly concerning as it came at the hands of the Sacramento Kings. Prior to that, they lost to the Washington Wizards.
The offense is a mess right now as they’ve scored just 104.5 points per game over their last five. Facing a Nuggets team that’s clicking, the Lakers will need to score more if they want to pull out a win.
DEN
LAL