Despite an impressive performance from Anthony Davis, the Los Angeles Lakers lost Game 3 to the Denver Nuggets, 119-108, and fell into what has historically been an insurmountable 3-0 hole. No team in NBA history has ever come back from such a deficit to win a series.
Denver’s high-powered offense has simply been too much for the Lakers to overcome to this point, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that we can immediately write this series off as a sweep. Now, the Lakers are playing for their dignity, too.
Here are my best bets and predictions ahead of Monday’s Game 4 between the Nuggets and Lakers.
Nuggets vs Lakers Game 4 Odds
NBA odds used for these best bets are current as of Sunday, May 21, at 10 a.m. ET, and were found at DraftKings Sportsbook.
- Moneyline: Lakers (-165) • Nuggets (+140)
- Spread: Lakers -3.5 (-110) • Nuggets +3.5 (-110)
- Total Points: Over 224.5 (-110) • Under 224.5 (-110)
Nuggets vs Lakers Game 4 Prediction
Nuggets 121, Lakers 116
The Lakers come into Game 4 as 3.5-point favorites, though to be honest, I’m not sure if they’ve really earned that. They’ve played their best basketball on the road in this series, and until their shooting comes back around, it feels pretty safe to say that they can’t keep up with the Nuggets.
Los Angeles shot just 10-of-32 (31.3%) from three-point range in Game 3, which marked its tenth time in 15 playoff games shooting 34.1% or worse from beyond the arc. In today’s NBA, it’s going to be difficult to win with those types of performances, especially against a group as potent as Denver.
The Nuggets have also figured out how to eliminate the impact of the Lakers’ role players in this series, limiting D’Angelo Russell, Jarred Vanderbilt, and Rui Hachimura to a combined 7-of-24 from the field in Game 3. Los Angeles’ stars can only do so much without proper help.
I wouldn’t be surprised if the Lakers find a way to pull this one out and extend the series to five, but nothing I’ve seen from this team so far really supports that theory. They are completely outmatched by the Nuggets, and quite frankly, that’s not something to be ashamed of.
Tap into even more of our Western Conference Finals coverage:
Nuggets vs Lakers Game 4 Best Bets
Nuggets Moneyline (+140) • DraftKings Sportsbook
WAGER: 1 Unit
LeBron James has been swept just twice in his illustrious NBA career; once in the 2007 NBA Finals, and again in the 2018 NBA Finals. This is also just the fourth time that he’s gone down 3-0 in a playoff series.
It helps that Game 4 will be played in front of his home crowd, but it’s going to take a monumental effort from him to stave off elimination here. The Nuggets can win in a variety of ways, and the Lakers don’t appear to have a solid counter for any of them.
He is LeBron James, so if anybody can come back from a 3-0 series deficit, it’s him. However, this feels like the end of the road.
Back the Nuggets to win outright with your NBA bet of the day.
Over 224.5 Points (-110) • DraftKings Sportsbook
WAGER: 1 Unit
The Nuggets are averaging roughly 120 points per game in this series, thanks in large part to the herculean efforts of Nikola Jokić and Jamal Murray. The Lakers, on the other hand, come in at 112.3 per game.
Both teams have preferred to play at a fast pace, and with the season on the line, we can expect Los Angeles to pull out all the stops and play with an increased level of desperation.
Time will tell if that translates to offense or defense, but this has largely been a high-scoring series, and I’m more inclined to back the Over once again in Game 4.
Nuggets vs Lakers Game 3
- Prediction: Lakers 118, Nuggets 110
- Result: Nuggets 119, Lakers 108
Nuggets vs Lakers Game 2
- Prediction: Nuggets 121, Lakers 111
- Result: Nuggets 108, Lakers 103
Nuggets vs Lakers Game 1
- Prediction: Nuggets 116, Lakers 107
- Result: Nuggets 132, Lakers 126
Nuggets vs Lakers Series Preview
The 2023 Western Conference Finals will begin Tuesday, May 16, with a rematch of a pairing we last saw in the bubble.
On one side is Nikola Jokić and the Denver Nuggets, the No. 1 seed in the bracket. On the other is LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers, a surprising No. 7 seed that has already upset the high-flying Memphis Grizzlies and the defending champion Golden State Warriors.
Who will come out on top and advance to the NBA Finals? Let’s dive into the latest Nuggets vs Lakers series odds.
Nuggets vs Lakers Series Odds
To Win Series: Nuggets (-155) • Lakers (+130)
Denver enters this matchup with the upper hand, as it will play the first two games of the series on its home floor and four out of a potential seven overall. The Nuggets were a formidable 34-7 at Ball Arena during the regular season, the second-best mark in the NBA.
With that said, this is not an unfamiliar position for the Lakers, who’ve been the lower seed in each of their first two playoff matchups. Los Angeles was red-hot down the stretch of the regular season, and this team has carried that momentum well into the postseason.
The Nuggets and Lakers split their regular-season series 2-2, with Denver taking the most recent matchup on Jan. 9.
Nuggets vs Lakers Series Prediction
Nuggets Win 4-2
I’m impressed to have seen the Lakers come this far. There were several points throughout the regular season where their campaign looked as though it was a lost cause, but Los Angeles made a remarkable turnaround after the All-Star break, and this has looked like a different team ever since.
The Lakers have been carried by their defense during the postseason, ranking No. 1 in defensive rating among all 16 playoff teams. They limited the Warriors to 112 points or less in each game of their second-round series, effectively shutting down what was one of the most potent offenses during the regular season.
Denver, on the other hand, has posted the No. 1 offensive rating throughout the playoffs and looks like the least vulnerable team still standing. The Nuggets rebound the ball well, are a terrific three-point shooting team, and rarely turn the ball over.
The determining factor in this series will likely come down to how well the Lakers (read: Anthony Davis) can defend the paint. Jokić has largely gotten the better of Davis in recent years, and the Nuggets are built in such a way that their offense can still survive despite an off night around the rim.
Nuggets vs Lakers Series Best Bets
Nuggets -1.5 Games (+150) • DraftKings Sportsbook
WAGER: 1 Unit
The Nuggets didn’t lose at home to the Lakers during the regular season, and they’ve also gone 6-0 at home so far this postseason.
They’ll have a good chance of winning the first two games of the series, and as long as they can steal one on the road as well — as they did against both the Minnesota Timberwolves and Phoenix Suns — they’ll be in position to cover this series spread.
