The first home game following a lengthy road trip is always the most difficult. At least that’s what they say. The Los Angeles Lakers will test that theory on Thursday when they host the Denver Nuggets in a rematch of last season’s Western Conference Final. The Lakers are coming off a seven-game road trip that saw them suffer consecutive defeats for the first time this season. The setbacks also dropped them from their perch at the top of the Western Conference standings.
The contest between the Denver Nuggets and Los Angeles Lakers takes place at 10 p.m. ET on Thursday, February 4, 2021, from Staples Center in Los Angeles and will air live on TNT. BookMaker.eu will have odds for every game on the Thursday NBA schedule.
NBA Opening Lines at BookMaker.eu
Odds Analysis
The Nuggets may have gotten their best win of the season on Sunday taking down the Jazz 128-117 ending Utah’s 11-game winning streak. It came after a discouraging loss to San Antonio that prevented Denver from completing a perfect 5-0 road trip. Following a 1-4 SU and ATS start to the season the Nuggets have climbed up the Western Conference standings by going 11-4 SU and 9-6 ATS over their next 15 games. They played over the closing total against Utah and the OVER is 6-1 in their last seven games and 15-5 overall. The Lakers lost consecutive games for the first time this season in Philadelphia and Detroit on their road trip. They avoided a third straight setback beating Boston 96-95 on Saturday to end the week at 15-6 SU. They failed to cover the 3.5-point spread against the Celtics, their fourth straight ATS loss putting them at 10-11 ATS for the season.
Denver Nuggets
Playing like the team that reached the conference finals last season, the Nuggets are pushing their way up the standings with wins in six of seven games following their 128-117 win over Utah, snapping the Jazz’s 11-game winning streak. They are 6-1 ATS in those games while cashing the OVER six times. Denver has been good offensively this season ranking among the top five in scoring and field goal percentage, but they were unconscious against Utah.
Hitting 15 of 17 three-pointers in the first half, Denver built a 79-54 advantage. They held off a late Utah run by continuing to score the basketball. In their most impressive display they shot 54 percent from the floor and 64.3 percent from behind the arc. You can’t expect another performance like that, especially against a team that defends as well as the Lakers. And the Nuggets haven’t had a lot of success against their counterparts either going 1-6 in their last seven meetings.
Los Angeles Lakers
Call them cocky or confident, the Lakers are certainly allowed to act however they want after winning last season’s title. They had a goal of not losing consecutive games this season, which lasted until their recent road trip. Still, the Lakers are one of the best in the Association sporting a 15-6 record entering the week. They made sure the skid didn’t get any longer with a narrow win over Boston that was bolstered by the return of Anthony Davis.
Even the best teams have an off night every now and then. The Lakers suffered a humbling 107-92 loss to the last place Pistons with Davis shelved. And with LeBron James struggling from the field LA couldn’t contend. It shows us just how vital those two are to the success of the club. With AD back in the lineup scoring 27 points with 14 rebounds, the Lakers ended their skid with a 96-95 win over Boston.
While the offense hit a rough patch on the road trip the Lakers continue to play stellar defense, which is something that will keep them in most of their games. They allow an average of just 104.3 points and have the top defensive rating in the NBA.
NBA Odds Pick
At some point the Lakers will have to start winning more home games. They are just 4-4 SU and 3-5 ATS at Staples this season and blew a big lead to the Warriors the last time they played at home. I don’t think the first game after a long road trip is going to have an effect on the Lakers, who are all business. And they sure aren’t going to let Denver get the upperhand in the season series.
NBA Odds Prediction: Lakers 118, Nuggets 109
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