A rematch of last year’s Western conference finals will take place tonight at the most anticipated game this week. It’s Denver Nuggets Vs Los Angeles Lakers. Here are the match details:
- Date & Time: Thursday, February 4th, 10:00 PM ET
- Venue: Staples Center, Los Angeles, CA
Let’s take a closer look on what to expect in this great matchup while focusing on some important details.
Match Preview
The champs are back home after a tricky roadtrip where they dropped 2 games in a row. However, they were able to bounce back against the Celtics and get the win against the Hawks. On the other hand, Denver are playing some great basketball. All-Star center Nicola Jokic is leading the team in almost every factor in his quest for MVP. Let’s break each teams current form and the players to watch in this game.
LA Lakers Preview
We start with the host and the defending champs: the Lakers. The purple and gold were on course for an unbeaten away record (10-0) until they faced the Philadelphia 76ers. Although they made a huge comeback late in the game, they just couldn’t cross the finish line as Tobias Harris drilled the game winning shot. After that, the Lakers dropped their 2nd straight game to a much less “powerful” team, Detroit, in a shock loss to everyone. However, the champs quickly bounced back winning over arch rivals the Celtics and ending the road trip with a 2nd straight win in Atlanta, proving to everyone that everything is under control and there is no “crisis”.
Key Player
When we talk about the Lakers, it’s hard to pick the “key” player in the team, with both AD and James playing superb basketball. However, 36-year old Lebron looks as strong as ever. The king is playing the highest minutes in the team (33.5) while averaging some high stats. Over the last 5 games, James is averaging: 28.8 PPG, 7.8 APG, 7.0 RPG, 1.0 SPG, 53 FG%, 46 3P%, 72 FT%. Enough for an MVP season?
Denver Nuggets Preview
On the other hand, the Nuggets come into this game snapping the Jazz’s 9 games winning streak with a comfortable win. However, they do have some injuries concerns with the key one being Gary Harris but they were able to deal with it following some strong performances by Michael Porter Jr. and Monte Morris from the bench.
Now Denver’s game against Detroit was postoponed in accordance with the league’s health and safety protocols. Will that be an advantage considering they are better rested and ready to go? Or perhaps a disadvantage in a way that it have interrupted their rythm going in to the game? Both seem valid options. We will have to wait and see how the team enters the game tonight.
Key Player
No doubt that Nikola Jokic is performing at an MVP level this season. He’s recorded a double-double in every game this season and is arguably the most exciting player to watch. The statline against the Jazz speaks for itself.
No wonder he’s been voted the Western conference player of the month. The Joker averaged 27.3 PPG, 11.8 RPB, 7.3 APG and shot 56.5% from the field. He can literally do eveything. He might not be as flashy as other NBA players, but the skillset that he has is one of the best in the league. In other words, his game is not close to Lebron’s but he does have the same impact on his team. Although he did joke about that in the below interview.
Game Prediction
Denver Nuggets Vs Los Angeles Lakers. This will be an entertaining battle and will come down to the small details in the game. Will the rest serve the Nuggets more or will it hurt them? The Lakers are back after a tough roadtrip, Lebron should have been more rested this season, however, he played all of the games while averaging the highest minutes. Will that affect his game anytime soon?
The Nuggets are not that tough on defense, allowing 111.7 PPG to their opponents. However, they are the 3rd in the league in scoring averaging 116.6 PPG and Jokic is currently unguardable. Even Gobert could not stop him as he dominated the last game. On the other hand, the defending champs are first in the league in defense allowing just 104 PPG with AD and Harell leading the charge. Will that be enough to stop Denver? One thing we might be sure of is that Jokic is unplayable at the moment and he knows his way around the basket, meaning that Denver will score the ball. The total points in this game is 219.5 and it seems a bit low, which means that playing the over might sound reasonable.
Current Odds
- Over 219.5: 1.86
- LA Lakers -5: 1.90
- Boston Celtics +5: 1.90
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