Nuggets vs. Lakers Game 2 Betting Odds: Moneyline, Spread, Total, and Player Props

Coming off their 132-126 victory in Game 1 on Tuesday, the Denver Nuggets hold a 1-0 lead over the Los Angeles Lakers heading into Game 2 at Ball Arena on Thursday night.

Game 2 tips off at 8:30 p.m. Eastern on ESPN.

Here's how the Nuggets and Lakers stack up.

All NBA odds via FanDuel Sportsbook.

Nuggets vs. Lakers Game 2 Betting Odds: Moneyline, Spread, and Total

• Moneyline:
  • Nuggets: -210
  • Lakers: +176
• Spread: Nuggets -5.5 (-108)
• Total: 226.5

Nuggets vs. Lakers Game 2 Projections

Win projections via numberFire.

• Win Odds: 75.7% Nuggets

Nuggets vs. Lakers Game 2 Player Props: Total Points, and Double Double Odds

• Total Points:
  • LeBron James: 25.5
  • Anthony Davis: 25.5
  • Nikola Jokic: 28.5
  • Jamal Murray: 25.5
  • Aaron Gordon: 12.5
  • Kentavious Caldwell-Pope: 10.5
  • Michael Porter Jr.: 15.5
  • Austin Reaves: 15.5
  • D'Angelo Russell: 13.5
  • Bruce Brown Jr.: 11.5
  • Lonnie Walker: 7.5
  • Jeff Green: 4.5
  • Dennis Schroder: 9.5
  • Rui Hachimura: 11.5
• To Record a Double Double:
  • Nikola Jokic: -3000
  • Anthony Davis: -470
  • LeBron James: -120
  • Michael Porter Jr.: +430
  • Jamal Murray: +500
  • Aaron Gordon: +650
  • Austin Reaves: +2100
  • Bruce Brown Jr.: +3000

Nuggets vs. Lakers Advanced Stats Breakdown

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

• 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:
  • 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 vs. Lakers Game 2 Analysis

Denver opened the series with an impressive Game 1, spearheaded by two-time MVP Nikola Jokic's historic performance.

The Nuggets came ready to play from the start, winning the first quarter 37-25 and ending the first half with an 18-point lead. The Lakers battled back, pulling within three points of the lead with just over one minute left to play, but a missed three-pointer and a turnover on back-to-back possession by LeBron James ended their comeback.

Jokic finished with 34 points, 21 rebounds, and 14 assists, with a plus/minus of +11. As a team, Denver shot 54.9% from the field and 46.9% from behind the arc. All of their starters recorded a positive plus/minus, with Michael Porter Jr. leading the way with a +20 in 35 minutes on the court.

The issue for Denver was their bench. Jeff Green (-10), Bruce Brown Jr. (-5), and Christian Braun (-16) all posted a negative plus/minus, and their combined plus/minus of -6.2 was well below their playoff average in homes games to this point (+3.2).

The Lakers also shot the ball well, making 54.8% of their shots from the field and 45.8% from behind the arc. All of their starters recorded a negative plus/minus, though, with D'Angelo Russell struggling the most, posting a -25 in 26 minutes on the court.

Conversely, the Lakers' bench had a positive impact. All three of their substitutes recorded a positive plus/minus, and their combined plus/minus of +3.6 was well above their postseason average in away games to this point (-4.4).

Rui Hachimura was especially impactful, with 17 points, 1 assist, and a +10 plus/minus in 28 minutes played. He was +14 in his 15.3 minutes in the second half, and his play on defense, matched up primarily against Jokic, marked a turning point in the game for Los Angeles. Jokic scored just 3 points in 10.2 minutes played in the fourth quarter.

Heading into Thursday night, the question is will Game 2 look more like the first half of Game 1 or the second half? The Lakers' adjustments turned things around, and now Denver will need to make some adjustments of their own.

While the Lakers can take some positives from Game 1, ultimately, they did lose. They failed to take homecourt advantage from a Denver team that remained elite at home in their first meeting. Los Angeles' defense, which has supported their postseason run to this point, flunked its first test. The 132 points they allowed were the most points conceded in a playoff game by the Lakers during these playoffs.

The Lakers will have another chance to steal homecourt advantage from the Nuggets in Game 2. As it stands, the Nuggets are favorites to win Game 2, the series (-280), and the NBA Finals (+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.