Denver Nuggets vs Los Angeles Lakers Prediction & Betting Tips - NBA

Prediction published on 29/04/2024, 03:54  by Joseph King | Modified on 29/04/2024 at 14:00 in NBA Prediction

The Nuggets will look to close out the Lakers when they contest game five of the Western Conference first round in the 2024 NBA Playoffs. Denver comes into this game with a 3-1 series lead and are one win away from a second round matchup with the Timberwolves. They had previously stormed out to 3-0 lead before losing game four by a score of 119-108 at the Crypto.com Arena. The defeat was also significant as it marked the first time that Denver had lost to Los Angeles in their last 11 meetings. That run of victories also included sweeping them out of last season’s playoffs in the 2023 Western Conference Finals. The Nuggets now return to Ball Arena where they have been dominant this year. They finished with a 33-8 home record in the regular season and are 2-0 so far in the playoffs. Overall, the Nuggets have won six of their last eight dating back to the regular season.

The Lakers expectedly came with everything they had in game four to avoid what would have been another humiliating sweep to the Nuggets. Lebron James was fantastic, leading the way with 30 points, while Anthony Davis was a monster on the glass with 25 points and 23 boards. The worry for LA fans ahead of this matchup in the high-altitude of Denver will be that their team doesn’t have much left in the tank after the previous win. No team in NBA history has ever come back from a 3-0 series deficit, a fact that is surely weighing heavy on the minds of the Lakers players. Additionally, the Lakers have been a poor road team this season. They amassed just a 19-21 record on the road in the regular season (19-23 when including the playoffs) compared to their strong 28-14 home record.