The NBA Playoffs have finally started this weekend, and tonight’s second matchup between the Lakers and Nuggets in Denver may well be do or die for LeBron. In Game 1, the Lakers started brightly, even leading by double digits at one point, and went into halftime up by three foloowing an impressive LeBron basket. Jokic and Davis battled it out in the paint at seemingly every possession it looked like, as both recorded impressive 32-point double-doubles. The difference ultimately was a late third quarter run by the Nuggets where they went up by 12. The difference in Game 1 were the role players, as Murray, Jokic, LeBron and Davis basically cancelled each other out point-wise. Porter Jr and Aaron Gordon came up big once again for the reigning chmapions, while D’Angelo Russel shot just 6 for 20 for the Lakers, hitting just one three all game. In the end, it was a similar game to the Conference Finals sweep from last year’s NBA Playoffs between these two juggernauts.
Denver started relatively slowly in every game last year, before rallying back in the second half and especially in the fourth quarter closing out close games with wise decisions by the NBA’s best playmaker in Nikola Jokic. On the Laker front, the fact that LeBron and Davis played an average of 42 minutes in game one could spell trouble, as both Jokic and Murray played under 40 minutes and the Nuggets still took home a relatively comfortable 1-0 lead in the series. If Lakers head coach Darvin Ham keeps playing a 39-year old LeBron for this significant amount of minutes, he may well struggle at the end of games as he did in Saturday’s fourth quarter, therefore giving the Nuggets an advantage. Tonight’s game 2 in Denver,m before swithcing over to Los Angeles for a couple matchups, may be crucial if LeBron and the Lakers are to have any chance at advancing. If the reigning champions take a 2-0 lead inot Los Angeles, all they need to do is win one of the next two matches in LA, as they will certainly win at least one more at home. With a win for Denver tonight, the Lakers would essentially need to win four of their next five games against the Nuggets – if it even gets that far.
Denver has been dominant against the Lakers in recent matchups, having won the last 9 straight against LeBron and Davis. This already does not bode well for the Lakers: if we add another loss tonight, this series is very close to being over. The last time the Lakers beat the Nuggets was in December 2022: they need four wins against them in the next 10 days if they want to advance. I see tonight’s game going pretty much similarly to the previous enounter. It will be a close game until late in the third or even into the fourth quarter. My suggestion is A Denver win & under 223.5 points, listed at the CoinGames sportsbook at 2.50, great value for money considering its the exact result from Game 1. If LeBron, Davis and company don’t manage to steal one in Denver tonight, I really don’t see this first round series going more than five games. The NBA Playoffs are well and truly underway: to play this and many other events and series, head over to CoinGames and start your decentralized gambling journey today!
Denver Nuggets to Win – 1.34
Los Angeles Lakers to Win – 3.35
