Los Angeles Lakers vs Denver Nuggets Preview (10/26/22): Prediction, Starting Lineups, Odds
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Los Angeles hopes to turn its fortune around on Wednesday night when it goes toe-to-toe with the Denver Nuggets. In this preview, I will discuss the key matchups, current odds, updated injury report, and projected starting lineups, so check it out.
Los Angeles Lakers Vs. Denver Nuggets Betting Odds
The Nuggets are six-point home favorites against the Lakers on Wednesday night in Denver. Michael Porter Jr and Russell Westbrook are both questionable, but every other key player in each team’s rotation should be good to go.
The point total for this matchup is stuck at 227 points. The Lakers have only played in one game that eclipsed this point total, and that was against the red-hot Golden State Warriors in the season-opener. Meanwhile, Denver has handily been over this number in three of its first four games.
Los Angeles Lakers Vs. Denver Nuggets Prediction
What do you get when you combine one team’s awful offense with another’s horrendous defense? The answer is the Los Angeles Lakers versus the Denver Nuggets. Denver has given up an effective field goal percentage (eFG%) of 58.9% to opponents through its first four games. It’s impressive how the Nuggets are 2-2 to start the season, as most other teams would be winless with that stat.
What Denver is doing very well, though, is shooting the ball. It is averaging just shy of 42% as a team from deep and ranks second in the NBA in effective field goal percentage (eFG%), a perfect complement to its atrocious defensive effort.
Meanwhile, Los Angeles can’t put points on the board if the franchise’s future depended on it. The Lakers rank dead last in offensive efficiency by a wide margin and can’t find any help outside of LeBron James and Anthony Davis.
This game is a bettor’s worst nightmare, in my opinion. There has been no semblance of consistency from either team, and it’s difficult to effectively project which one will be better at what they’ve been terrible at through their first handful of games. Ultimately, I will stay away from the spread and bet the over on the point total. You know how drastic that is for me if you consistently read my articles.
Betting Trends
- Los Angeles is 0-1 ATS on the road in 2022-23
- Denver is 0-1 ATS at home in 2022-23
- Denver has a 3-1 over record in 2022-23
Key Matchups
Yes, there is a key matchup in every game, including this bout; however, this is a matchup between two teams playing poorly on at least one side of the floor. The Denver Nuggets allow the most points to opposing teams, while the Los Angeles Lakers are 29th in points per game. Take a look at a more in-depth analysis of this matchup below!
Los Angeles Lakers’ Morbid Offense vs. Denver Nuggets’ Atrocious Defense
As I alluded to above, this is an abysmal matchup in many ways. It’s difficult to say which will give in first: the Lakers’ stagnant, ball-stopping offense or the Denver Nuggets’ ball-watching, lackluster defense.
The Denver Nuggets rank dead last in opponent effective field goal percentage (opponent eFG%) by a fairly wide margin. It is still early in the season, so I expect that to improve drastically, but this is not the start Denver was looking for.
Meanwhile, Los Angeles has shot a morbid 21.2% from deep, an issue everyone knew would be prevalent with this team. The Lakers are shooting 7.5% worse than the next closest team from behind the arc, and there’s not an end in sight. Advantage: Denver.
Los Angeles Lakers Starting Lineup
PG: Russell Westbrook
SG: Patrick Beverley
SF: Lonnie Walker IV
PF: LeBron James
C: Anthony Davis
Denver Nuggets Starting Lineups
PG: Jamal Murray
SG: Kentavious Caldwell-Pope
SF: Michael Porter Jr
PF: Aaron Gordon
C: Nikola Jokic
Key Injuries
Los Angeles Lakers Injuries: LeBron James (P), Anthony Davis (P), Russell Westbrook (Q), Thomas Bryant (Out), Dennis Schroder (Out), Cole Swider (Out)
Denver Nuggets Injuries: Michael Porter Jr (Q), Jeff Green (Q), Collin Gillespie (Out)
