The Los Angeles Lakers and the Denver Nuggets open their best-of-7 Western Conference Finals series Tuesday at Ball Arena. Tip for Game 1 is scheduled for 8:30 p.m. ET (ESPN). Below, we analyze BetMGM Sportsbook’s lines around the Lakers vs. Nuggets odds, and make our expert NBA picks and predictions
The Lakers and Nuggets split the season series 2-2, with the home team winning and covering each meeting in the regular season. The Under cashed in 3 of the 4 contests.
The Lakers polished off the Golden State Warriors in the semifinals in 6 games while going 4-2 against the spread (ATS). The Lakers are 8-4 straight up (SU) and ATS in 12 postseason games to date and the Over/Under has split 6-6.
The Nuggets also took care of the Phoenix Suns in 6 games in the semis, going 4-2 SU and ATS. Denver is 8-3 SU and 7-4 ATS in 11 games in the postseason with the Over going 6-4-1.
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Lakers at Nuggets odds
Provided by BetMGM Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 5:26 a.m. ET.
- Moneyline (ML): Lakers +200 (bet $100 to win $200) | Nuggets -250 (bet $250 to win $100)
- Against the spread (ATS): Lakers +6.5 (-115) | Nuggets -6.5 (-105)
- Over/Under (O/U): 222.5 (O: -110 | U: -110)
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Lakers at Nuggets key injuries
Lakers
- F Anthony Davis (foot) probable
- F LeBron James (foot) probable
Nuggets
- G Jamal Murray (illness) questionable
For most recent updates: Official NBA injury report.
Lakers at Nuggets picks and predictions
Prediction
Nuggets 116, Lakers 109
Moneyline
The Nuggets (-250) are quite expensive on the moneyline, costing you 2 1/2 times your potential return.
Not only is that a bit risky, since the return is not very good, but the Lakers enter this series with quite a bit of confidence.
PASS.
Against the spread
NUGGETS -6.5 (-105) is the lean based on the trends in this series.
The home team won and covered all 4 meetings in the regular season, and the Lakers are just 1-5-1 ATS in the past 7 trips overall to the Mile High City.
Los Angeles is just 1-4 ATS in the past 5 road games, too, while Denver is 23-9 ATS in the past 32 games at home.
Over/Under
OVER 222.5 (-110) is worth a look in this series opener.
While the Lakers have A.D. and LeBron listed on the injury report with a foot ailment, they’ve been listed as probable for plenty of games and haven’t missed any time. It’s unlikely they sit or are affected in the least in Game 1.
The Over is 9-2 in the past 11 road games for the Lakers while going 14-6 in the past 20 games overall.
While the Under has cashed at an 8-3 clip in the past 11 games at home for the Nuggets, the Over is 5-1 in the past 6 in the conference finals round, and 5-1 in the past 6 games when playing on 3 or more days of rest.
The Over is 6-2 in the past 8 encounters in Denver between these teams and 29-13-2 in their past 44 head-to-head meetings overall.
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