Denver Nuggets vs LA Lakers NBA predictions, picks, odds & spreads: Nuggets finish off LeBron and the Lakers

Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (6) shoots against Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (15) in the third quarter during game three of the Western Conference Finals for the 2023 NBA playoffs at Crypto.com Arena.

The Denver Nuggets have looked superb in the NBA Playoffs so far, and they’re proving why they’re the favorites to win the championship as they hold a 3-0 series lead over the LA Lakers. LeBron James and Anthony Davis have kept the Lakers in every game, but Nikola Jokic has turned it on for the Nuggets when it matters and Denver is now just one game away from reaching the NBA Finals. Will the Nuggets sweep the Lakers or can LA prolong the season and send things back to Ball Arena? Let’s get into the odds, betting lines and our expert’s predictions for Denver Nuggets vs Los Angeles Lakers.

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Denver Nuggets vs Los Angeles Lakers spread, odds & betting lines

Odds for Nuggets vs Lakers courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook.

Point spread: Nuggets +3; Lakers -3
Total points over/under: 224.5 points
Money line odds: Nuggets +132; Lakers -156

Make sure you also read our Nuggets vs Lakers Same Game Parlay at +551 odds

Denver Nuggets vs Los Angeles Lakers expert picks

Nuggets vs Lakers money line pick: Nuggets ML (+132)

The Denver Nuggets are just a win away from making it into the NBA Finals for the first time in franchise history. Jamal Murray once again went off on Saturday night, scoring 30 points in the first half, then Nikola Jokic took over and now they’re up 3-0 on the Lakers. They have won 4 of their last 5 meetings against LA, and on Monday they’ll be going for their first ever sweep in a playoff series. The oddsmakers still have them as 3.5-point underdogs, so a bet on the money line at +145 odds is very tempting, especially since we know the Lakers have the worst record when it comes to trailing 3-0 in a playoff series. LA is winless in 8 such games, and the average margin of defeat in their last 3 of them is 22.7 points.

Going down 3-0 is really deflating, and no team has ever come back from such a deficit in postseason history. LeBron James did what he could with 23 points, 7 rebounds and 12 assists. Anthony Davis had 28 and 18 rebounds, while Austin Reaves chipped in 23 and 5 assists. That’s pretty much all the notable scorers for the Lakers in Game 3 as their role players just couldn’t give them enough. It was their first postseason defeat at crypto.com Arena, and the Lakers are now just 1-4 SU over the last 5 games overall. LeBron James-led teams have been down 3-0 on 3 occasions in his career and he got swept twice, while in 2017 his Cavs team were able to win the next game before being beaten in 5 by the Warriors.

This series will be decided by Denver and whether or not they prefer to lift the Western Conference trophy on the road or back at home in front of their home fans in Game 5. If they are smart, they’ll look to end things on Monday, as you never want to give a team hope when they’re down in the postseason. I’ll back Nikola Jokic and the Nuggets to finish it off with a sweep.

Be sure to check out our full Denver Nuggets vs LA Lakers predictions

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Nuggets vs Lakers over/under total pick: Under 224.5 points (-110)

Denver has been nailing it from 3-point land in this series. After finishing Games 1 and 2 with 15 and 14 threes, they proceeded to knock down 17 of them in Game 3, which was a big reason why the game went over the total of 223 points. For Game 4 the number has gone up to 224.5 points, but I have a feeling that if things aren’t close early the Lakers might just wave the white flag.

The Nuggets’ defense has played really well over the last 2 games, holding LA to just 103 and 108 points. Without a solid contribution from their starting point guard D’Angelo Russell, the Lakers cannot hope for much. LeBron has also looked gassed on some possessions for 2 straight games. I just don’t think the Lakers will put up enough points for us to pass this total, so I’ll take my chances with the under in Game 4.

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