Los Angeles Lakers vs Denver Nuggets Prediction: Fade the Struggling Lakers
This afternoon, the Denver Nuggets will be heading to Los Angeles to take on the Lakers. Let's take a look at the game and give a preview and prediction.
Matt O'Leary - April 3, 2022, 9:08 AM EDT
5 minutesLos Angeles Lakers vs Denver Nuggets Prediction: Fade the Struggling Lakers
As the NBA season is winding down, the Los Angeles Lakers and Denver Nuggets couldn't have had more different seasons. Los Angeles, who won the finals in 2020 and then made the playoffs in 2021, has imploded this year. This afternoon they host the Nuggets, who will come out on top in the Eastern Conference matchup?
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Los Angeles Lakers vs Denver Nuggets Prediction
The Lakers are ice cold right now as they look to just run out the clock on their disappointing 2021-2022 season. They are just 31-46 and have lost five straight games including a 114-111 game to New Orleans on Friday night.
Still, even with the Lakers being as bad as they are, there is enough star power in this one to at least make it semi-enticing. We get to see two of the league's brightest stars battling it out.
For the Lakers, even at age 37, LeBron James is still a star. He's averaging 30.3 points per game which leads the NBA. Sure, he may not be MVP level LeBron anymore but he is still a spectacle to see night in and night out for this Lakers team that doesn't offer much else.
For the Nuggets, the focus will be on the 2021 NBA MVP, Nikola Jokic. Jokic made his fourth straight NBA All Star Game this year and finds himself 10th in the league in points per game at 26.6. He's coming off back-to-back monster games for Denver as well.
On Wednesday night he put up 37 in their win over the Pacers and on Friday he had 38 in a losing effort. I don't see how a team that has mailed it in like the Lakers is going to have much of a chance against this Nuggets team who still has a lot to play for.
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Denver is currently the sixth seed in the West which has them in the last spot before the play-in tournament. If the season ended today, they'd be taking on Golden State in the first round of the playoffs but Minnesota, who they just lost to, is right on their tail.
The only time these two teams played this year it was a massive blowout. Denver won 133-96 back in January with Nah'Shon Hyland scoring 27 points in the win for Denver. I like the road team in this one to get back on track and beat up on a bad Lakers team.
Los Angeles Lakers vs Denver Nuggets Line Movement
Los Angeles Lakers vs Denver Nuggets Pick
- Nuggets -3 (-110) (Bet $110 to win $100)
