Lakers vs Nuggets Game 5 Best Bet and Prediction for Monday, Apr. 29
By Cem Yolbulan
The Los Angeles Lakers finally got one over the Denver Nuggets, winning Game 4 at home to avoid another sweep at the hands of Nikola Jokic & Co. LeBron James and Anthony Davis both put on a show and the Lakers delivered an impressive defensive performance to beat the Nuggets for the first time in over a year.
However, the Lakers still have a mountain to climb with the series heading back to Denver. No team has ever come back from a 3-0 deficit in NBA history but the Lakers must feel decent about their chances as they led at halftime in the first four games.
Can LeBron and AD deliver another heroic performance to bring the series back to Los Angeles?
Lakers vs. Nuggets Game 5 Odds, Spread, and Total
Lakers vs. Nuggets Game 5 Best Bet and Prediction
The Nuggets are the clear favorites (-295) on Monday night. The Lakers are understandably 7.5-point underdogs against one of the best home teams in the league.
Denver had the best home record in the Western Conference this season at 33-8. They have a massive altitude advantage against their opponents and there is only a one-day rest between Game 4 and Game 5. This is a big disadvantage for the Lakers, who are a much older team than the Nuggets.
The Lakers have started the games in this series with more energy and intensity. However, they fail to sustain it for 48 minutes due to their lack of depth and James and Davis having to do everything on both ends of the floor. Can they summon that energy in Denver after a short turnaround? Seems unlikely.
The Nuggets have schematic and psychological advantages over the Lakers. Los Angeles' guards struggle to guard on the perimeter and they don't have anyone to guard Jokic other than Davis.
Considering the offensive load Davis has to carry, that is too much to ask of him for 48 minutes. Jamal Murray hasn't even gotten going in this series, and the Nuggets will surely start shooting better. A Game 4 win was nice but it's hard to see the Lakers win another one, especially in Denver.
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Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change