Lakers vs Nuggets Picks and Odds – August 10
- The Los Angeles Lakers and Denver Nuggets, the one and three seeds in the Western Conference, matchup on August 10th
- LA is secure at the top of the West, but Denver is still jostling for position
- Get the odds, betting discussion and a pick below
The Lakers have had a troubled bubble experience thus far. Avery Bradley’s opt out and Rajon Rondo’s injury have been followed by four defeats in their first six seeding games. Frank Vogel would surely like to see performances improve ahead of the playoffs.
For Denver, this is a tricky scenario. The Western Conference’s seeding spots are constantly moving, making it hard to find the matchup they may want in the first round. If they win out, they take the two seed and a matchup with the Dallas Mavericks in the first round.
FanDuel favors the Lakers by 5.5 points in this one as is shown in the table below.
Los Angeles Lakers vs Denver Nuggets Odds
| Team | Spread | Moneyline Odds at FanDuel | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles Lakers | -5.5 (-110) | -235 | O 221 (-110) |
| Denver Nuggets | +5.5 (-110) | +194 | U 221 (-110) |
Odds taken August 10th
Struggling Lakers
It’s a bit of a surprise to see the Lakers as 5.5-point favorites in the Los Angeles Lakers vs Denver Nuggets odds. Vogel has seen his team lose three on the bounce, and their offense has been woeful. Their 97.9 offensive rating in Orlando is by far the worst in the league, and only the Sacramento Kings have a worse net rating. The Kings were eliminated from playoff contention on Sunday.
Anthony Davis was held to eight points by the Indiana Pacers on the weekend. Kyle Kuzma went three-for-14, and Alex Caruso remains cold. He is 10-for-30 in the seeding games.
Kyle Kuzma: "I'm doing what I can do to win games and help this team win a championship."
— Ryan Ward (@RyanWardLA) August 7, 2020
Danny Green has been having a rough time offensively and sat out the loss to Indiana with a hip injury. After cruising to the top of the West before the hiatus, the Lakers suddenly look flawed.
Three-Pointer Matchup
The Lakers have been struggling from beyond the arc in the bubble. It was an issue going into their game with the Indiana Pacers, and other than Quinn Cook getting hot from the perimeter, the poor three-point shooting continued.
They face a Nuggets team that has been unable to defend the three. Opposing teams are shooting over 45% from three in the bubble. Of course, some of this is small sample size misfortune, a result of opponents draining shots they would be expected to miss. With very limited guard and wing depth in these opening games, it’s understandable to a degree that their perimeter defense would be under-par.
Michael Porter Jr. over his last three games
37 Points, 12 Rebounds, 75 FG%
30 Points, 15 Rebounds, 57 FG%
27 Points, 12 Rebounds, 55 FG%Future is bright for MPJ. 🔥 pic.twitter.com/drmNjjuNgx
— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) August 7, 2020
Denver has been running a lot of big lineups. Michael Porter Jr. has been playing the three, and he’s got a long way to go defensively. Gary Harris and Will Barton remain unavailable for Monday’s game.
As the Lakers hope to start hitting shots, the Nuggets could be an ideal opponent.
Don’t Sleep on Denver
Rightly or wrongly, the Denver Nuggets have developed a reputation as a regular season team. They are overlooked amid title discussions, and while that’s understandable, the quality of this team shouldn’t be downplayed. They are coming off the back of a brilliant double-overtime win over the Utah Jazz when Nikola Jokic took over in the fourth and OT.
Lakers have nothing to gain for themselves tomorrow, but a win over the Nuggets makes it less likely they face Houston in the 2nd round, which is probably preferable
— Hardwood Paroxysm (@HPbasketball) August 10, 2020
The Lakers are going to be favored in most games, particularly when it seems like LeBron and Davis will play. Their recent performances do not justify such a spread here, though, even if they are motivated to try and avoid the Houston Rockets in the second round.
The breakout of Porter Jr. and Jamal Murray’s return changes this Nuggets team. They are a more potent offensive force, and with the Lakers playing some average basketball, they are the best bet in this one.
Pick: Denver Nuggets +5.5 (-110)
Sam Cox is a freelance writer and sports junkie, who has spent the past several years immersed in the online gaming industry. He has worked with 888sport, Oddschecker, and Colossus Bets to name a few. Based in the UK, Sam also runs Franchise Sports with his brother.
