Expert Top Pick of the Day: Los Angeles Lakers vs. Denver Nuggets
Oct 26, 2022, 2:13 pm ET in NBA 
Read Time: 4 min
Top Pick of the Day
The Los Angeles Lakers and Denver Nuggets tip off tonight at Ball Arena. The Lakers have been a major disappointment so far this season with an 0-3 record and are the team with the worst offense in the NBA. They’re shooting just 40.7% from the field and 21.2% from three-point range, which are the lowest marks in the league.
Denver is 2-2 to start the season and failed to get their third win after being blown out by the Portland Trailblazers on Monday night. They were up by six points at halftime but surrendered 80 points in the second half in the 135-110 defeat. Denver is third in the Northwest Division, two games behind Portland in the standings.
Los Angeles Lakers vs. Denver Nuggets Schedule
- Date: Wednesday, October 26, 2022
- Time: 8:00 PM MDT
- Location: Ball Arena, Denver, CO
Lakers Seek First Win
The Lakers had a chance to get their first win on Sunday, leading the Trailblazers by seven points with just under two minutes to play. They quickly gave up the lead and lost the game 106-104.
LA played solid against Portland in the paint, outsourcing them 66-38, but only went 6 for 33 from three-point range. Russell Westbrook also had another bad game, shooting 4-15 and scoring just ten points.
LeBron James is leading the team with 27.3 points, 11 rebounds, and 7.3 assists in the first three games. Anthony Davis is averaging 24.7 points and eight rebounds and leads the team in steals with 2.7, and has 2.3 blocks per game.
Westbrook is averaging 10.3 points per game and is shooting just 28.9% from the field and 8.3% from beyond the arc.
Nuggets Try To Stay Perfect At Home
The Nuggets are the top shooting team in the league at 50.1% but must improve on defense if they hope to be successful this season. Teams are shooting 40% from three-point range against Denver, which is 25th in the league, and they are last in opposing field goal percentage at 50%. They are also giving up 28.3 assists per game.
Nikola Jokic leads Denver in all major stat categories, averaging 20.3 points, 10.3 rebounds, and 9.5 assists per game.
Michael Porter Jr. is back after missing all of last season and is second with 18 points. Jamaal Murray has 1.3 steals per game, and Aaron Gordon leads the team in blocks, with 0.8 per contest.
Los Angeles Lakers vs. Denver Nuggets Odds Comparison
The Lakers are 1-6 in their last seven road games, and the total has gone over in their previous six NBA games on the road in Denver.
The Nuggets are 3-7 against the spread in their last ten NBA games, and the total has gone over in four of their previous five games against the Lakers.
- DraftKings has Denver at -215, on a spread of -5.5, and the total is 229.
- FanDuel has Denver at -210, on a spread of -5.5, and the total is 230.
- Caesars has Denver at -220, on a spread of -5.5, and the total is 229.
Godds Pick or Prediction of the Game
The Lakers have been solid on defense, allowing just 104 points per 100 possessions through the first few games, while the Nuggets are one of the worst defensive teams early in the season.
Davis should be able to contain Jokic’s production in this matchup as the Lakers desperately look for their first victory this season.
Godds Pick/Prediction: The Lakers win, and the total goes over.
