Denver Nuggets at Los Angeles Lakers Free Prediction 12/22/19

Posts AdminArticles, Basketball, NBA

It will be a showdown between two tremendous defenses when the Los Angeles Lakers (24-5), 7.5-point favorites, clash with the Denver Nuggets (19-8) at Staples Center. The game’s Over/Under (O/U) has been set at 209 points and it will air on NBATV at 9:30 p.m. ET on Sunday, December 22, 2019.

Denver Nuggets vs. Los Angeles Lakers Betting Odds

Neither team was able to cover in their last game. The Nuggets (10.5-point favorites) beat the Minnesota Timberwolves, 109-100, while the Lakers (3.5-point underdogs) were defeated by the Milwaukee Bucks, 111-104. The Denver game went 6 points under the projected point total of 215, while the Los Angeles game finished 12 points under the projected point total of 227.

Denver’s effective field goal percentage was their biggest advantage over Minnesota. The Nuggets had a rate of 0.551 (above their season average of 0.511), while the Timberwolves posted a mark of 0.471. Los Angeles, meanwhile, had a better effective field goal percentage (0.537 vs. 0.571). Anthony Davis had a solid performance for Los Angeles, finishing with 36 points, 10 rebounds and five assists. Denver was led by Nikola Jokic, who notched his fourth triple-double of the season. He took over, registering 22 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists.

In their first matchup this season, Davis led the Lakers to a 105-96 win. He registered a double-double with 25 points and 10 rebounds. Los Angeles covered as a 3-point underdog and the two teams combined to score 201 points, which was under the projected point total of 207.5. Los Angeles won the rebounding battle. The Lakers had 14 offensive rebounds and 56 total rebounds, while the Nuggets had seven and 35, respectively.

Of the Nuggets’ 27 games, 19 have finished under the total. Denver has an outstanding 19-8 straight up (SU) record, but they are just 10-13-4 against the spread (ATS).

Similarly to Denver, Lakers games also have typically finished under the total (58.6 percent). Additionally, Los Angeles is 24-5 SU and 16-13 ATS.

The Nuggets’ Jokic has been playing at a high level over his last five games, averaging 21 points,10.2 rebounds,9.2 assists per game. Meanwhile, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope has averaged 12 points during that same time frame for the Lakers.

Points could be at a premium as two of the NBA’s best defenses square off. Los Angeles currently ranks third in defensive efficiency (101.8) and Denver is fourth (101.9). Also, the Nuggets are among the NBA’s best on the offensive backboards, ranking fourth in offensive rebounding percentage (24.3 percent). The Lakers, meanwhile, rank fourth at securing defensive rebounds with a defensive rebounding percentage of 79.4 percent.

Denver Nuggets at Los Angeles Lakers Betting Pick

Pick: SU Winner – Lakers, ATS Winner – Nuggets, O/U – Under

Betting Notes:

  • The Lakers rank sixth in assists per game (26.2) while the Nuggets rank 11th in assists allowed per game (23.5).
  • Los Angeles ranks third in fast break points per game (17.4) while Denver ranks 23rd (11.7).
  • The Lakers rank second in points in the paint per game (53.1) while the Nuggets rank 17th in points allowed in the paint per game (48.4).
  • Los Angeles ranks fourth in second chance points per game (14.8) while Denver ranks 16th (13.0).
  • Los Angeles ranks second in rebounds allowed per game (41.4) while Denver ranks eighth (44.1).
  • The Lakers rank first in blocks per game (7.1) while the Nuggets rank 17th (4.9).
  • The Nuggets rank first in points off turnovers allowed per game (14.2) while the Lakers rank 12th (16.8).
  • Los Angeles ranks 23rd in three pointers attempted per game (30.6) while Denver ranks 25th (30.2).
  • Los Angeles ranks third in steals per game (8.6) while Denver ranks 18th (7.7).
  • When holding opponents below 100 points, Los Angeles is 10-0 and Denver is 10-1.
  • When scoring more than 100 points, the Lakers are 20-5 and the Nuggets are 17-4.
  • Denver is 4-5-2 ATS on the road, while Los Angeles is 8-4 ATS at home.
  • The Nuggets have 8 unders and 3 overs in 11 road games.
  • Of the Lakers’ 12 home games, they have 7 unders and 5 overs.

Bettings Trends:

  • The Nuggets are 2-2-1 ATS over their last five games, while the Lakers are 1-4.
  • In their last five games, Denver has 3 overs and 2 unders, while Los Angeles has 4 unders and 1 over.
  • The Nuggets’ average margin of victory in their last five games has been 9.4, up from 5.1 for the season.
  • During their last five games, the Lakers have scored an average of 103.2 points per game (9.4 below their season average) and allowed an average of 101.8 points per game (2.3 below their season average).