The Denver Nuggets struck first in Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals against the Los Angeles Lakers. What’s in store for Game 2 tonight?

All odds courtesy of the FanDuel Sportsbook. 

Los Angeles Lakers (+176) vs. Denver Nuggets (-210) Total: 226.5 (O-110, U-110)

Denver held off a ferocious Lakers comeback in the fourth quarter on Tuesday night and held on for a 132-126 victory. A big reason that the Lakers were able to make a comeback revolved around an adjustment they made with Rui Hachimura and his ability to make Nikola Jokic uncomfortable. There’s a lot of chatter around the NBA that LA has solved the Nuggets, but if you think Denver won’t adjust to that defensive structure, you haven’t been paying attention to the job that head coach Michael Malone has done with this team. 

The Nuggets were able to pick up a six-point victory in Game 1, which was right around the line of the spread. Denver’s once again listed as a home favorite in Game 2 on the moneyline and spread, where they’re priced at -210, in addition to being 5.5-point favorites. 

Denver remains undefeated at home in the 2023 NBA playoffs, while the same continues to be true for the Lakers, which we’ll get to ahead of Game 3. Denver has more in their bag of tricks than they’re given credit for, which suggests that many people just haven’t been tuning in to watch the Nuggets. This high-caliber team can do damage against the league’s best, and they proved that in Game 1. Denver has more to give defensively, and we expect a better performance from them tonight on that side of the basketball. As a result, look for Denver to maintain home-court advantage and cover the number in doing so. 

Best Bet: Nuggets -5.5 (-112) 

During the regular season, these teams faced off four times and scored 209, 231, 234, and 231 points, respectively. Game 1 of this matchup saw the teams shoot the lights out, tallying 258 points in a game that didn’t even go to overtime. It’s fair to say we expect some regression with the adjustments both teams should make ahead of this contest, but it shows us the potential these two teams bring to the table in a “ceiling” offensive game. The total for Game 2 is 226.5, and despite what we saw in Game 1, we’re looking for a better defensive showing. 

Best Bet: Under 226.5 (-110) 

It’s no secret that the Lakers will seek new ways to shut down Nikola Jokic. They appeared to have found at least an area to start in that category in the fourth quarter of Game 1, but we’re not so sure that will work out for them with the time Denver has had to adjust over the last 48 hours. Game 1 saw Jokic combine to record a total of 69 points+rebounds+assists, which is a massive number. Even if some of the Lakers’ adjustments work, Jokic has proven to be able to take an opponent’s best punch and get back up. As a result, we like for him to go over his player prop total of 53.5 points+rebounds+assists at -115. 

Best Prop: Nikola Jokic to Record Over 53.5 Points+Rebounds+Assists (-115)