Thursday, September 24, 2020, AdventHealth Arena, Kissimmee, Florida, 9 p.m. ET
Lakers at Nuggets Betting Preview: Lakers (-6/-110), Nuggets (+6/-110)
Los Angeles Lakers
After an easy Game 1 victory, a tough triumph in Game 2 and a loss in Game 3 that was not as close as the final score might indicate, the Lakers do have a 2-1 victory in the series even if the tide seems to have turned. Now the Lakers are the team in need of adjustments after the Nuggets have completely altered their performance.
Perhaps a sign of things to come from the Lakers showed up in the fourth quarter of Game 3 when they switched to a zone defense. The Lakers outscored the Nuggets 31-21 in the final quarter, forced Denver into eight turnovers and scored 22 points in the paint.
Expect inside play to be heightened after the Lakers were just 6 for 26 (23.1 percent) from 3-point range Tuesday.
Denver Nuggets
Like green leaves in the spring, the Nuggets are blossoming in the Western Conference final just as expected. As each playoff series has progressed, and the opponent has become tougher, the Nuggets seem to be adjusting earlier and earlier. Their heartbreaking defeat in Game 2 against the Lakers was followed by Tuesday’s impressive 114-106 victory in Game 3.
Keeping the momentum will be key. After winning their first game in each of the previous two series, the Nuggets followed with multiple defeats. A repeat of that would see them headed home. In Game 3, Jamal Murray had 28 points and 12 assists, while Nikola Jokic had 22 points and 10 rebounds as the Nuggets’ stars continued to deliver.
Jerami Grant was huge for Denver in Game 3 with 26 points, while the Lakers’ supporting cast was unable to make as much of an impact as the Nuggets’.
Nuggets at Lakers Betting Pick for game 4
The Nuggets have all the momentum now and judging by their performance earlier in the playoffs, that is a scary place to be for opponents. There was plenty of talk about how the Clippers choked away their second-round series, but Denver is showing it had plenty to do with Los Angeles’ other team being sent off to an early vacation.
Jokic and Murray are holding their own against LeBron James and Anthony Davis, and if that happens, the Nuggets have a decent chance at advancing.
Nuggets at Lakers Betting Pick:
Nuggets 107, Lakers 105
Nuggets at Lakers Best Bet for Game 4
The Nuggets look like a team that is in the series to stay. That doesn’t mean they are guaranteed to win Game 4, but they already have things on their terms just three games into the matchup with the Lakers. And getting points on a team that is making the right calls is not a bad route to go.
Nuggets at Lakers Best Bet: Nuggets (+6/-110)
