The new NBA season tips off on Tuesday with a mouthwatering match-up as the Los Angeles Lakers and Denver Nuggets meet in a Western Conference Finals rematch. The Lakers got swept in the battle last season and should be fired up to put things right.
Bookmaker Pinnacle has the Lakers as 4.5-point underdogs for the clash, with the odds at -106 for them to cover the spread. The odds are at -104 for the Nuggets to beat it, while the total stands at 228 points.
※ Current Odds Date & Time: October 23rd, 6:00 P.M. (EST)
The Lakers head out for revenge against Denver after doing some serious retooling over the summer. The lack of depth hurt them badly in the Western Finals, and the new-look squad looks much better equipped to deal with Nikola Jokic & Co. However, this is still an extremely tough match-up for the Lakers, as the Nuggets have always been a very good home team. A season ago, only seven visiting teams won at the Ball Arena.
LeBron James closed out the playoff series against Denver with a near 40-point triple-double, and he will have been hurting from getting swept for only the third time in his career. However, the setback was likely also a great motivator for him over the summer ahead of his 21st NBA season.
Both teams are near full health ahead of the new campaign, meaning we should see similar faces making noise in the game. LeBron will be supported by Anthony Davis and Austin Reaves, while Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray will lead the charge for Denver, with Aaron Gordon a potential darkhorse. He had a great series against the Lakers last spring, playing a big role at both ends of the floor.
The Nuggets begin the season with a refreshed lineup as well, as Bruce Brown and Jeff Green moved on in the summer. Youngsters like Christian Braun and Peyton Watson are expected to step into bigger roles in 2023-24, and the season opener against quality opposition will provide us a good look if they are ready to make the step up.
The meeting in the Western Conference Finals was a very one-sided affair, but these two typically match up very well. It’s been six seasons since the last time either team enjoyed a winning streak of at least three games in the head-to-head clashes. Last year’s four regular-season games were evenly shared, with both winning at home.
