Lakers vs. Nuggets Prediction, NBA Picks & Odds for Game 1: Tuesday 5/16

The 2023 Western Conference has been set for a few days now, but Game 1 is finally on the horizon. The Los Angeles Lakers were able to dispatch the defending-champion Golden State Warriors to get to this point, while the Denver Nuggets cruised through the Phoenix Suns. Two of the league’s biggest superstars will be in action with LA’s LeBron James and Denver’s Nikola Jokic.

With a trip to the 2023 NBA Finals up on the line, our experts have a Lakers vs. Nuggets prediction for Tuesday’s Game 1 with odds provided by DraftKings Sportsbook.

LAKERS VS. NUGGETS PREDICTION: Over 222.5 (-110 at DraftKings Sportsbook)

The 2023 Western Conference has been set for a few days now, but Game 1 is finally on the horizon. The Los Angeles Lakers were able to dispatch the defending-champion Golden State Warriors to get to this point, while the Denver Nuggets cruised through the Phoenix Suns. Two of the league’s biggest superstars will be in action with LA’s LeBron James and Denver’s Nikola Jokic.

Click here to sign up at DraftKings to claim a guaranteed $150 bonus using our Lakers vs. Nuggets prediction, or a $5 bet on anything this week.

Lakers vs. Nuggets Prediction for Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals on Tuesday, 5/16

Despite the history and star power of the Lakers, seeing them make it this far is rather surprising. Following their 2-10 start to the season, they spent the entire year simply trying to stay out of the Play-In Tournament. While they were still forced to participate, they were able to escape.

On the flip side, the Nuggets were sitting as the #1 seed in the Western Conference much of the season, with Jokic looking to win his third straight MVP. While he wasn’t able to do so, he’s been just as dominant in these 2023 NBA playoffs. With that in mind, we’d predict Denver to advance to the 2023 NBA Finals. However, that’s not to discredit what LA has done, and for Game 1, our Lakers vs. Nuggets prediction is focused on a high-scoring game.

Lakers vs. Nuggets NBA Picks and Best Bet

Betting against LeBron is never fun, as he continues to defy father time and is averaging 23.4 points per game this postseason. While Denver may very well win Game 1, we prefer to approach the total (over/under) and go over 222.5 points.

LeBron’s scoring ability certainly plays a part in that, as does Anthony Davis. While he needs to continue to prove his consistency, he’s still averaging 21.2 points in these NBA playoffs. Admittedly, the Lakers also have a strong defense, but slowing down Jokic and Jamal Murray is a different beast.

Jokic looks to be on a scorched earth tour to prove that he deserved his third straight MVP, as he’s averaging 30.7 points, 12.8 rebounds and 9.7 assists in the postseason. With Murray stepping up with 25.9 points per game in the NBA playoffs, Denver looks to be on another level.

In terms of the Lakers' most recent series against the Warriors, all but one of those games went over this total, and the same can be said about the Nuggets and their series with the Suns. Similarly, the same was the case when these teams met in the regular season.

Three of their four matchups easily went over this total. The only one that didn’t, was way back in late October, primarily due to the Lakers scoring just 99 points. It’s safe to say that LA has become a different team since then, especially since the trade deadline. So, with all that in mind, our Lakers vs. Nuggets prediction is on the over 222.5 points with -110 odds at DraftKings Sportsbook.

How to Bet on Over 222.5 at DraftKings and Claim a $150 NBA Playoffs Promotion

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Lakers vs. Nuggets Odds Provided by DraftKings Sportsbook for May 16th, 2023

We also have the latest odds at DraftKings Sportsbook regarding our Lakers vs. Nuggets prediction for you. The over 222.5 points has -110 odds, so an $11 wager profits $10 if 223 or more points are scored. If you want to fade our Lakers vs. Nuggets prediction, the under 222.5 points has the same -110 odds, so an $11 wager profits $10 if 222 points or fewer are scored.

You could also focus on the side, where the Lakers +5.5 has -110 odds, while the Nuggets -5.5 has the same -110 price. It’s all available to you for that $5 bet to claim your $150 bonus after creating a new account at DraftKings today.

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