Nuggets vs. Lakers Prediction, Odds & Best Bet for January 9 (Back a High-Scoring Game at Ball Arena)

Nuggets vs. Lakers Game Info

• Date: Monday, January 9, 2023
• Time: 9:00 PM ET
• Venue: Ball Arena -- Denver, Colorado
• Coverage: ALT and SportsNet LA

The 2022-23 NBA season continues on Monday with six more games, including a battle between the Los Angeles Lakers and Denver Nuggets. The Lakers rank 11th in the Western Conference with a 19-21 record, while the Nuggets check in first with a solid 26-13 record. This lines up as a great contest.

Los Angeles enters on a five-game winning streak that includes a 136-134 win over the Sacramento Kings on Saturday. Meanwhile, Denver has now won four of its last five games after taking down the Cleveland Cavaliers by a score of 121-108 on Friday. Which playoff hopeful will win on Monday night?

Nuggets vs. Lakers Odds & Spread

All NBA betting lines, odds and prop bets are from FanDuel Sportsbook.

Nuggets vs Lakers Betting Information

Favorite	Spread	Favorite Spread Odds	Underdog Spread Odds	Total	Over Total Odds	Under Total Odds	Favorite Moneyline	Underdog Moneyline
Nuggets	-9	-	-	239.5	-110	-110	-400	315

• All NBA betting lines, odds and prop bets are from FanDuel Sportsbook.
• Moneyline: DEN: (-450) | LAL: (+350)
• Spread: DEN: -10 (-108) | LAL: +10 (-112)
• Total: 241.5 -- Over: (-110) | Under: (-110)

The Nuggets enter this contest as heavy home favorites on moneyline and spread per FanDuel Sportsbook's odds. This 9 p.m. ET clash also features an over/under of 241.5 points, which ranks as the highest of Monday's projected totals.

Nuggets vs. Lakers Betting Trends

• The Nuggets compiled a 36-44-2 record against the spread last season.
• Against the spread, as underdogs of 9 points or more, the Lakers went 5-2 last season.
• Last season, the combined scoring went over the point total 47 times in Nuggets games.
• There were 47 Lakers games (out of 82) that went over the total last season.

Nuggets vs. Lakers Prediction & Pick

It's important to note right off the bat the both LeBron James and Russell Westbrook are dealing with left foot/ankle soreness heading into this game. Each one is listed as probable to play, but it wouldn't be surprising for either one to see less minutes than usual. That could make a noticeable impact.

Denver has been on a tear at home this season, posting a 16-3 record and an average scoring margin of +10.5 (No. 2 in NBA). The Nuggets also rank fourth in fast break points per home game (18.9), which is notable considering the Lakers rack up 16.2 turnovers per road game (No. 27 in NBA).

The Nuggets are riding a 10-game home winning streak and I don't see that success ending tonight.

Final Score Prediction: Nuggets: 128 | Lakers: 117

Nuggets vs. Lakers Best Bet

I expect this game to finish with more than 241 total points for a few reasons. The Lakers are allowing 121.1 points per away game (No. 28 in NBA), while the Nuggets are allowing opponents to shoot 48.0% on the season (No. 24 in NBA). Both teams also rank among the top half of the NBA in pace.

Each team thrives at scoring in the paint and struggles to defend down low, too. Look for a ton of easy layups and putbacks to be scored as a result. The total has hit the over in nine of the Lakers' last 11 road games as well as in six of their last seven games played against the Nuggets at Ball Arena.

Bet: Over 241.5 Points (-110)

Larry Rupp is not a FanDuel employee. In addition to providing DFS gameplay advice, Larry Rupp also participates in DFS contests on FanDuel using his personal account, username phillyfan424. While the strategies and player selections recommended in his articles are his personal views, he may deploy different strategies and player selections when entering contests with his personal account. The views expressed in their articles are the author's alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of FanDuel. 

Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.