The Los Angeles Lakers are running out of time to make a run at the playoffs. If it is to happen, they are going to need to knock off superior foes consistently down the stretch. The Lakers have an opportunity to do so next time out when they host the Denver Nuggets in a critical Western Conference clash.
Denver has been much better than anticipated, as it sits in second place in the West, just a couple of games behind the Warriors. The Nuggets have cooled off a bit lately but the overall body of work is impressive. Denver has the talent to win this game and the Lakers cannot let that happen as their postseason hopes are hanging by a thread.
This could be a competitive showdown as Denver is the superior team while the Lakers have the home court advantage in NBA betting lines.
This NBA basketball game between the Denver Nuggets at Los Angeles Lakers will be held at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California at 8:30 p.m. ET on Wednesday, March 6th, 2019. The game will be nationally televised on ESPN.
We'll have NBA basketball odds at BookMaker.eu available for every game of the 2019 NBA season.
Odds Analysis
The Nuggets are 42-21 on the season. They have lost three in a row but still sit three games ahead of the Thunder and Trail Blazers for the No. 2 seed in the West. While catching the Warriors won’t be easy, Denver is in good shape to finish with the second-best record in the conference.
The Lakers have dropped to 30-34 on the year after a loss last time out to the Clippers. They have only picked up three victories in their past 10 games and have lost three in a row. Los Angeles is in danger of getting mathematically eliminated from the postseason soon, and a loss to the Nuggets would bring that reality one step closer in NBA betting lines.
Player To Watch
LeBron James -- The league’s best player is in danger of missing the postseason, which seemed crazy at the beginning of the year. The Lakers looked good until Christmas, when James went down with a groin injury. The team struggled during that stretch and has not been much better since he returned. Look for James to do all he can the rest of the way to help Los Angeles turn it on and make the playoffs.
James is averaging 27.0 points, 8.7 rebounds and 8.1 assists per game on the year. He might need to do even more in this one as small forward Brandon Ingram could be out due to a shoulder injury suffered recently that kept him out Monday against the Clippers.
Key Stat
27.6. That’s how many assists per game Denver is averaging right now. The Nuggets rank No. 2 in the league in that category.
Nikola Jokic leads the team in assists with 7.7 per game, which is impressive for a big man to do. He has a rare court vision and is a problem for opposing defenses. Jamal Murray is averaging 4.9 assists a game. Denver doesn’t have a well-known superstar like some of the other best teams in the Western Conference, but they share the ball nicely, which has led to a lot of success this season.
Free NBA ATS Picks
The Lakers may have the best player on the court in James but the Nuggets have the superior balance. Jokic is a star while the supporting cast is impressive. Denver may be a bit underrated despite the strong regular season.
The Nuggets are the right pick to both win this game and cover the spread in NBA gambling. There should be plenty of scoring in this one, so the “over” could be the correct call on the scoring total.
NBA ATS Pick: Denver Nuggets 122, Los Angeles Lakers 117
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