Lakers vs. Nuggets Game 1 Betting Odds: Moneyline, Spread, Total, and Player Props

The Los Angeles Lakers and Denver Nuggets open the Western Conference Finals on Tuesday night in Denver.

The Lakers entered the playoffs as the 7 seed in the West and proceeded to dispatch both the Memphis Grizzlies and the Golden State Warriors in a pair of six-game series. SuperstarsLeBron James and Anthony Davis have been dominant together but will face their toughest foe yet in the Nuggets.

The Nuggets entered the postseason as the 1 seed in the West and dismantled their opposition in the first two rounds. They’ve lost just three games over the course of the tournament so far and are just one more series win away from making the NBA Finals for the second time in franchise history.

Game 1 tips off at 8:30 p.m. Eastern on ESPN.

Here’s how the two teams stack up for Tuesday’s game in Denver. Here's a look at the series as a whole.

Lakers vs. Nuggets Game 1 Betting Odds: Moneyline, Spread, and Total

• Moneyline:
  • Lakers: +198
  • Nuggets: -240
• Spread: Nuggets - 6.0 (-112)
• Total: 222.5

Lakers vs. Nuggets Game 1 Projections

Win projections via numberFire.

• Win odds: The Nuggets have a 75.6% probability of winning.

Lakers vs. Nuggets Game 1 Player Props: Total Points, and Double Double Odds

• Total Points:
  • LeBron James: 24.5
  • Anthony Davis: 22.5
  • D'Angelo Russell: 15.5
  • Austin Reaves: 14.5
  • Dennis Schroder: 8.5
  • Nikola Jokic: 27.5
  • Jamal Murray: 24.5
  • Michael Porter Jr.: 15.5
  • Aaron Gordon: 13.5
  • Kentavious Caldwell-Pope: 9.5
  • Bruce Brown Jr.: 11.5
  • Jeff Green: 4.5
• To Record a Double Double
  • Nikola Jokic: -1800
  • Anthony Davis: -490
  • LeBron James: -110
  • Jamal Murray: +490
  • Aaron Gordon: +600
  • Michael Porter Jr.: +650
  • D’Angelo Russell: +1300
  • Austin Reaves: +2100
  • Bruce Brown Jr.: +3900

Lakers vs. Nuggets Advanced Stats Breakdown

nERD via numberFire. Adjusted offensive/defensive ratings, pace, and shot distribution via DunksAndThrees.

• Lakers:
  • nERD: 53.2 (13th)
  • Adjusted Offensive Rating: 114.4 (20th)
  • Adjusted Defensive Rating: 113.9 (13th)
  • Pace: 101.3 (6th)
  • Shot Distribution and Efficiency:
    • Rim: 38.9% (4th) - 64.4% (10th)
    • Mid: 26.1% (16th) - 42.3% (22nd)
    • 3PT: 35.1% (26th) - 34.6% (25th)
• Nuggets:
  • nERD: 60.1 (7th)
  • Adjusted Offensive Rating: 116.9 (5th)
  • Adjusted Defensive Rating: 114.2 (18th)
  • Pace: 98.5 (21st)
  • Shot Distribution and Efficiency:
    • Rim: 39.0% (2nd) - 66.5% (3rd)
    • Mid: 24.9% (12th) - 43.4% (13th)
    • 3PT: 36.1% (21st) - 37.9% (4th)

Lakers vs. Nuggets Game 1 Analysis

The duo of Anthony Davis and LeBron James has started to look like the combination that helped lead the Lakers to a championship in the 2019-20 playoffs. Davis and James rank sixth and seventh, respectively, in win shares contributed so far in the playoffs. Those ranks rise to fourth and fifth, respectively, if you exclude players who have already been eliminated from contention.

The Nuggets have looked close to dominant in the playoffs thus far. They’re averaging a point differential of +9.2 points per game in the playoffs, almost double the +5.1 mark the Lakers have assembled in their first two rounds. They’re playing tight basketball, committing the fewest turnovers per game (11.5) while posting the second-best field goal percentage (.489) in the tournament.

Denver is a -165 favorite to win the series while LA is priced at +140.

The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author’s advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.