by Rod Pearson
Wednesday, Feb 07, 2024
Game Time: 10:00 pm ET, Thursday, February 8, 2024
Venue: Crypto.com Arena, Los Angeles, CA
Where to Watch: TNT, MAX
Opening Odds at USA Sportsbooks
DraftKings: Point Spread: Nuggets -3, Lakers +3; Over/Under: 229.5 points
Bet365: Point Spread: Nuggets -3, Lakers +3; Over/Under: 229.5 points
BetMGM: Point Spread: Nuggets -2.5, Lakers +2.5; Over/Under: 229.5 points
Season Record
Denver Nuggets: 35-16 (3rd place, Northwest Division)
Los Angeles Lakers: 27-25 (4th place, Pacific Division)
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Recent Form
Denver Nuggets: 7-3 last 10
Los Angeles Lakers: 6-4 last 10
Denver Nuggets vs Los Angeles Lakers Preview and Analysis
The Nuggets are entering this game with a 35-16 record overall and they are 14-12 in their road games this season where they will be in this game. They are entering this game on a 2 game winning streak with wins coming against the Portland Trail Blazers in their last 2 games. In their last game against the Trail Blazers, Nikola Jokić led the team in points in that game with 29 while Jamal Murray was next on the team with 21 points. Jamal Murray led the team in assists in that game with 10 while Nikola Jokić led the team in rebounds with 8. They were 48.8% from the field, 42.9% from 3-point range, and 84.2% from the free throw line with their shots in that game. Their offense is averaging 114.8 PPG and their defense is allowing their opponents to average 110.6 PPG against them. The Nuggets have an ATS record of 21-28-2 this season and their O/U record is 19-32.
The Lakers are entering this game with a 27-25 record overall and they are 17-8 in their home games this season where they will be in this game. They are entering this game on a 3 game winning streak with wins coming against the Boston Celtics, the New York Knicks, and the Charlotte Hornets in their last game. D'Angelo Russell led the team in points in that game with 28 while LeBron James and Anthony Davis each were next on the team with 26 points. Anthony Davis and Austin Reaves each led the team in assists in that game with 11 while Anthony Davis led the team in rebounds with 15. They were 56.2% from the field, 23.5% from 3-point range, and 84.2% from the free throw line with their shots in that game. Their offense is averaging 116.2 PPG and their defense is allowing their opponents to average 117.1 PPG against them. The Lakers have an ATS record of 24-29 this season and their O/U record is 29-24.
Nuggets vs Lakers Prediction
The current betting odds have the Nuggets listed as a 3 point favorite in this game according to Draftkings Sportsbook. The Nuggets have looked really good in their games this season with their 35-16 record overall which has them near the top of the West with one of the best records in the entire NBA. They haven't looked great in their road games this year but they haven't been a bad road team either with their 14-12 road record. Meanwhile, the Lakers haven't looked great in their games this season with their 27-25 record overall which has them fighting for a play-in spot in the West for the playoffs this year. They have looked a lot better on their home court with their 17-8 home record and they have a lot of momentum on their side right now with 3 wins in a row. As good as the Lakers have looked lately, they have still been struggling a lot this season and this is also the same Nuggets team that swept them in 4 games last year in the NBA playoffs. The Nuggets also have some momentum of their own right now with 2 wins in a row and they have looked better in their games lately with 7 wins in their last 10 games. The Nuggets are the more talented team here and they know how to beat this Lakers team, even when they are playing well. The best way to place a bet here is on the Nuggets to cover the spread in this game.
Nuggets Lakers Prediction: Our NBA Pick for Thursday, February 8, 2024 (10:00 pm ET start time) is Nuggets 117 Lakers 109.
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NBA Betting Trends
Denver Nuggets: 6-13 ATS as a road favorite. 3-6 ATS against Pacific division opponents. 3-8 ATS off a no-cover where the team won straight up as a favorite. 31-20 UNDER in all games. 28-17 UNDER as a favorite. 14-6 UNDER in a road game where the total is greater than or equal to 220.
Los Angeles Lakers: 7-4 ATS against Northwest division opponents. 22-15 ATS revenging a road loss vs opponent of 10 points or more. 9-2 UNDER in a home game where the total is greater than or equal to 230. 9-5 UNDER after a game where they made 55% of their shots or better.
Key Injuries
Denver Nuggets: K. Caldwell-Pope (SG) Ques Thurs - Hamstring. V. Cancar (SF) Out indefinitely - Knee.
Los Angeles Lakers: J. Vanderbilt (SF) Early March - Foot. C. Reddish (SF) Mid Feb - Ankle. G. Vincent (SG) Late Feb - Knee.
Notable Quotes
“Our defense got better as the game went along. We had zero defense. We had a little bit of defense. We got a lot more defense. And we had great defense.” - Michael Malone after his team’s win against the Trail Blazers in their game on Sunday.
“He’s seen just about everything. Just the film study, the breakdowns we go through, him being vocal, him being communicative in terms of what he’s seeing, and where he needs guys to be positioned so he can make the right reads. He’s been doing all the homework he needs to do, and so that’s why you see the top results.” - Darvin Ham on Anthony Davis after his team’s win against the Hornets in their game on Monday.
Starting Lineups
Denver Nuggets
PG Jamal Murray
SG Kentavious Caldwell-Pope
SF Michael Porter Jr.
PF Aaron Gordon
C Nikola Jokic
Los Angeles Lakers
PG D'Angelo Russell
SG Austin Reaves
SF LeBron James
PF Rui Hachimura
C Anthony Davis
Statistical Leaders
Denver Nuggets
PPG: N. Jokic (26.3)
APG: N. Jokic (9)
Reb/G: N. Jokic (12.2)
Los Angeles Lakers
PPG: L. James (24.9)
APG: L. James (7.6)
Reb/G: A. Davis (12.3)
Coaches:
Denver Nuggets: Michael Malone (9th season)
Los Angeles Lakers: Darvin Ham (2nd season)
Rod Pearson
About the Author:
Rod Pearson has been a rabid sports fan his entire life. He grew up in Ontario, and was skilled in both hockey and baseball, and pitched in an elite baseball league for many years. In 2022, Rod decided to hang up his glove, so that he could write about the sports he loves -- but from a gambling perspective. Join Rod every day as he breaks down the games to find the best betting value.
