As the NBA playoffs heat up, the Los Angeles Lakers and the Denver Nuggets find themselves in a familiar position. It’s a throwback to the conference finals of 2020 in Orlando’s NBA bubble when the two teams fought tooth and nail over five games.
In the end, the Lakers took the series and proceeded to beat the Miami Heat in the NBA Finals. This year, LeBron James’s Lakers are set to challenge Nikola Jokić’s Nuggets once again, creating a sense of déjà vu among fans.
The top-seeded Nuggets, returning to the Western Conference finals for the first time since their 2020 loss to the Lakers, are being led by a red-hot Jokić.
The 2021-22 NBA MVP is fresh off a historic performance against the Phoenix Suns, averaging a triple-double (34.5 points, 13.2 rebounds and 10.3 assists). The Lakers have to contend with Jokić’s formidable presence in Game 2 on Thursday in Denver.
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Now, let’s dive into the betting side of things.
Odds from FOX Bet, FanDuel, Tipico Sportsbook, and DraftKings present an intriguing picture.
FOX Bet, co-owned by Fox Corp FOX FOXA has the Nuggets favored by more than 6 points, setting the moneyline at Nuggets -250 favorites to win and Lakers +170 underdogs. The total scoring over/under is predicted at 227 points scored by both teams combined. As for the series winner, the Nuggets are at -303 and the Lakers are at +230.
FanDuel, also co-owned by Fox, however, places the Nuggets as notable home favorites on the moneyline and spread, with an over/under of 227.5 points. The Lakers have been underdogs by 5.5 points or more 23 times this year and are 8-14-1 ATS in those matchups. FanDuel predicts a final score of Lakers 116, Nuggets 112, with the best bet of Jokić to record a triple-double (-140).
Tipico Sportsbook lists the Nuggets as 5.5-point favorites against the Lakers, with an over/under of 227. The moneyline stands at Denver -221, Los Angeles +182. A prediction for the game reads Nuggets 118, Lakers 112.
DraftKings Inc DKNG predicts the Nuggets -6 with an over/under of 222.5.
For more on the sports betting landscape and what could be next for popular betting segments and legislation, tune in to the Benzinga Sports Betting Titans virtual event on May 24.
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