Filip Tomic
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The LA Lakers are in a desperate need of a win today as they host the Denver Nuggets in the second of 3 meetings that will be played this regular season. Tipoff is set for 3:30 pm ET on ABC, I’ve prepared a same game parlay which you can find below.
We also have predictions on the side and total for the rest of Sunday’s 12-game slate, make sure you check those out as well.
Let’s get into the Nuggets vs Lakers game first though!
Nikola Jokic to record 10+ assists (+164)
Aaron Gordon Over 15.5 points (+100)
Will Barton to make 3+ threes (+190)
Parlay odds: +1301
Nikola Jokic to record 10+ assists (+164)
Jokic will be matching up with Anthony Davis in this game and although that will be a challenge for him, it’s nothing he hasn’t already seen this season. The big man from Serbia has been absolutely dominant over the past 10 games, averaging 30 points on a whopping 63% shooting, he is also collecting 7.6 dimes per game during that stretch. Against the Lakers in the first game of the season he turned more to assisting and finished with 13 of them — which resulted in a 37-point blowout win. Jokic is smart enough to know that if he gets everyone involved, the Nuggets’ chances of winning go way up. In his last 3 games he has finished with 8, 9, and 11 assists, so I think there is a really solid chance of him getting to double-digit assists in this one. He is going up against a Lakers defense that ranks in the bottom 5 of most defensive categories, so he can basically pick between scoring 40 or dishing out 10 assists. Fingers crossed he decides for the latter.
Be sure to check out our full game preview for Denver Nuggets vs Los Angeles Lakers
Aaron Gordon Over 15.5 points (+100)
Gordon has been the perfect side kick for Jokic over the past 5 games or so. He has scored at least 20 points in 4 of those 5 games and over his last 10 he is averaging 16.6 per game on 55% shooting from the field and 43.3% from three-point land. His athleticism is one of the key reasons why he has been so successful lately and I think this Lakers defense simply doesn’t have the bodies to slow him down. He directly matches up with LeBron James here, it’s been a while since we’ve seen James play any meaningful defense and that is Gordon’s opportunity. He had 11 in the first meeting between the two teams; I expect at least 16 in this one today.
Will Barton to make 3+ threes (+190)
Barton had one of his most efficient games of the season when he played the Lakers earlier this season, as he scored 12 points on 80% shooting from the field while making both of his threes and both of his free-throws. We’ll need him to step it up a bit in terms of threes today, though, and I don’t think that will be an issue at all. He has made at least 2 threes in all but 2 games in the month of March, so the consistency is there. The Lakers aren’t exactly good at defending the perimeter this season; they allow opponents to make 36.2% from deep, which is really good news for Barton. The Lakers also play at a really fast pace, which also works in Barton’s favor. He is averaging 35.1% makes from 3 over his last 10 games, so hopefully he can keep that up on Sunday.
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