The Los Angeles Lakers (33-21) travel to face off against the Denver Nuggets (37-19) on Saturday, February 22nd. This game will be played at Ball Arena in Denver and televised on ABC. Both team’s come into this one having won their previous games. Tip-off is set for 8:30 ET.

Lakers vs Nuggets

The Lakers Are Coming Off A Win

The Lakers improved to 33-21 on the season with a 110-102 win over the Trail Blazers on Thursday. Los Angeles, favored by 2.5 points, covered the spread with the victory. The game’s total score of 212 points fell short of the 225-point over/under line.

Los Angeles went on a 10-0 run early, taking the score from 9-8 to 18-9. After leading 28-15 at the end of the 1st quarter, the Lakers saw their lead shrink as Portland outscored them in the 2nd and 3rd quarters. Heading into the 4th quarter with a slim 78-77 lead, the Lakers pulled away by outscoring the Blazers 32-25 in the final period.

The Nuggets Are Coming Off A Win

Denver improved to 37-19 after a 129-115 win over Charlotte on Thursday. The Nuggets were favored by 18 points but didn’t cover the spread, though the game’s total of 244 points exceeded the O/U line of 227.5.

Denver went on a 10-0 run to stretch their lead from 44-42 to 54-42. Charlotte fought back, winning the 3rd quarter 38-33, but the Nuggets clamped down in the 4th, holding the Hornets to 19 points while scoring 30 of their own.

Lakers Offense Breakdown

LeBron James delivered a standout performance in the Lakers’ 110-102 win over the Trail Blazers, scoring 40 points and hitting 4 threes at a 50% rate. He also added 8 rebounds and 4 assists, shooting 58.3% from the field. Austin Reaves contributed 32 points and 7 assists, despite shooting 42.9% and making just 2 threes at 25%.

The Lakers struggled from beyond the arc, hitting only 9 threes at a 28.1% clip, with an overall field goal percentage of 47.6%. James scored 12 points in each of the final three quarters, while Reaves added 11 points in the 4th.

Nuggets Offense Breakdown

Jamal Murray hit 7 threes at a 70% rate, finishing with 34 points and 4 assists in the Nuggets’ win over the Hornets, while Nikola Jokić added 29 points, 17 rebounds, and 9 assists, connecting on 6 threes. Denver made 19 threes as a team, shooting 44.2% from deep and 50% overall.

Murray scored 13 points in the 1st quarter, while Jokić added 14 in the opening period. Aaron Gordon contributed 18 points, and Julian Strawther chipped in 16, with 8 of those coming in the 2nd quarter.

Lakers Team Defense

The Lakers’ defense shined in the 1st quarter, holding the Trail Blazers to just 15 points, and they finished strong by allowing only 25 points in the 4th, helping secure the win. Overall, they gave up 102 points on 44% shooting from the field.

From beyond the arc, the Lakers limited Portland to 12 made threes on 32% shooting. They also sent the Blazers to the line 21 times, where they converted 14 free throws. The Lakers controlled the boards with 37 defensive rebounds and added 7 steals and 6 blocks.

Nuggets Team Defense

The Lakers’ defense set the tone early, giving up just 15 points in the 1st quarter, and they held the Trail Blazers to 102 points overall. Despite allowing 32 points in the 2nd quarter, they tightened up in the 4th, allowing 25 points to secure the win.

Defensively, the Lakers held Portland to 44% shooting, including 32% from three, with the Blazers making 12 threes. The Lakers also sent Portland to the line 21 times, where they hit 14 free throws. Los Angeles controlled the boards, allowing just 6 offensive rebounds, and added 7 steals and 6 blocks.

Lakers vs Nuggets Trends

• In their last ten games away from home, the Lakers have a straight up record of 6-4 while going 5-4-1 vs. the spread. The team averaged 114 points per game in this stretch.
• Although Denver has a straight up record of 3-2 in their last five home games, they have not held up as well vs. the spread going 1-4. The team averaged 119 points per game in these games.
• The Lakers have played well in their last five games as the betting underdog, going 4-1 straight up and 4-1 against the spread.
• Looking back on the team’s last ten games as the favorite, the Nuggets have a straight up record of 9-1. Their record vs the spread in these games was 6-4.

Lakers vs Nuggets Prediction

Entering the game as underdogs with a spread of +7, the Lakers is our point spread pick. Our projections not only see them covering the spread but also indicate a solid chance of an outright victory. This is a good choice for those looking for a higher moneyline payout.

Right now, the over/under line for the game is sitting at 240.5 and given that our model is projecting 245 points between the teams, we like the over.

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All odds are courtesy of Action247 Sportsbook. Good luck!!

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* All odds are provided by Action247 Sportsbook and all odds subject to change.**All views expressed are my own. My picks are my own and are not a guarantee, bet at your own risk.Action247 does not warrant the accuracy of completeness of the information, text, graphics, links or other items contained within these post.