The LA Lakers (0-2) will host the Denver Nuggets (2-0) at the Crypto.com Arena for Game 3 of the Western Conference Finals on Saturday. For Game 2, the Denver Nuggets beat the LA Lakers 108-103 to take control of the series with a 2-0 lead. After two tough losses, the LA Lakers are ready to reignite their winning spark when they take on the Denver Nuggets! They’ll have all cylinders firing as they look to break out of a slump and get back to top form.

Form LA Lakers

The 108-103 defeat saw the LA Lakers drop their past 10-game record against the Denver Nuggets to 4-6. They’ve won 52 of their 97 matches this season, going 30-18 at the Crypto.com Arena alone.

The LA Lakers have been one of the NBA’s most prolific scoring teams this season. Entering Saturday’s matchup, the hosts are averaging 116.4 points per game. Defensively, the LA Lakers have restricted opponents to 115.4 points per game on average and 111.8 points in their own arena.

The LA Lakers have created a buzz in the NBA playoffs. Despite being tipped to be knocked out early, the 52-45 side has exceeded expectations and made it all the way to the Western Conference Finals.

Mohamed Bamba is the only reported injury concern for the LA Lakers ahead of Saturday’s game.

LeBron James has led the way in scoring over the postseason. He has averaged 23.9 points from 15 games. Sitting as the second-highest LA Lakers scorer is Anthony Davis, who is averaging 22.4 points. Austin Reaves has added a further 16.1 points on average.

Form Denver Nuggets

The Denver Nuggets triumphed over the LA Lakers in their latest match, with a final score of 108-103, taking their win streak to four games. Away from home this season, they have a record of 21-25.

The Denver Nuggets average 115.9 points per contest, putting them near the middle of the pack among NBA teams for most points. The Denver Nuggets have held opponents to an average of 111.8 points per game at home and 115.3 points when playing on the road.

The Denver Nuggets soared into the playoffs aiming to clinch the NBA championship. Now, they have navigated their way through the trials of the postseason to reach the highly anticipated Western Conference finals.

The only reported injury concern for the Denver Nuggets is Collin Gillespie.

With 13 playoff appearances under his belt, Nikola Jokic has proven himself with a whopping 133 assists. He’s leading the Denver Nuggets with 10.2 assists per game. Not to mention, he’s been consistently contributing with an average of 30.4 points and 13.8 rebounds.

H2H

The Denver Nuggets and the LA Lakers had quite the rivalry during the regular season. They went back and forth with two wins each. The Denver Nuggets have a 2-0 advantage in the playoffs, which gives them a favorable position. Benefitting from their home-court advantage, they defeated the LA Lakers at the Ball Arena, the first game ending with a 132-126 score and the second by 108-103.

In the previous matchup, LeBron James dropped a team-leading ten dimes. He completed a double-double for the LA Lakers by scoring 22 points. Nikola Jokic snagged 17 rebounds in a stellar triple-double performance for the Denver Nuggets, scoring 23 points and dishing out a further 12 assists.

In their past ten meetings, the LA Lakers pulled off 113.7 points on average per game, whereas Denver Nuggets managed 118.2 points per match.

Betting

Bet365 offers the betting odds for the LA Lakers vs Denver Nuggets matchup.To see the complete list of available wagers

• Moneyline (ML): Denver Nuggets (+180) | LA Lakers (-220)
• Against the spread (ATS): Denver Nuggets +5.5 (-110) | LA Lakers -5.5 (-110)
• Over/Under (O/U): 223.5 (-110) | (-110)

Claim your risk-free bet here

Moneyline

Bet on the LA Lakers to win (1.45) on the moneyline.

Despite only winning half of their last 10 games, the LA Lakers are still considered favorites for Saturday’s matchup. Their last match ended in a 108-103 defeat to the Denver Nuggets. However, with -220 odds available for a home win, they have an implied 69% chance of victory. The Denver Nuggets have been playing exceptionally well recently, with a 7-3 record in their last 10 games bolstered by a 108-103 victory against the LA Lakers. Despite this strong streak, they are not expected to be the favorites when they take to the road, as the odds are +180.

This Saturday, the LA Lakers will have the opportunity to reclaim a win when they host the Denver Nuggets at their home court. Despite their most recent loss, they are still expected to come out victorious.

Against the Spread

Take the LA Lakers -5.5 (1.91) to cover the spread.

The LA Lakers are the heavily favored team for the match, with a 5.5-point lead over the Denver Nuggets. In the last five matches the LA Lakers played against the Denver Nuggets at home, they won four of them with an average margin of victory of 13.5 points.

The LA Lakers were a sound bet in all six of their recent home games. At the Crypto.com Arena, they have a 27-21 ATS record. Recently, the LA Lakers have had an impressive run in point spread betting. They have covered the spread five times in their last five home matches. Their ATS record over the last 10 rounds is 7-3.

The Denver Nuggets have gone 20-24 ATS in away games this season. Their overall record stands at 50-42-1 ATS. The Denver Nuggets covered four times in their last ten games, scoring an average of 116.3 points and conceding 109.8 points.

Over/Under

Go for Total over 223.5 (1.91).

The LA Lakers and the Denver Nuggets have faced each other in ten games, with an average of 231.9 points between them. In the last five matches at the Crypto.com Arena, the average score was 220.2 points.

For the latest LA Lakers-Denver Nuggets game, the total line is set at 223.5. This is 9.5 points less than the combined 233-point average the two teams managed in their last five meetings. Betting on the Over in the total market returns odds of -110.

At the Crypto.com Arena, the LA Lakers have a record of 20-27 O/U against the total for the season, with an overall score of 49-46 O/U. Exactly half the previous 10 home games went over for the LA Lakers. The average score was 221.1 points per game. In all, the hosts are 5-5 O/U in their last 10 contests.

The Denver Nuggets are 44-48 O/U against the total this season. Their record on the road is 24-20 O/U. The total averaged 226.1 points across the past 10 Denver Nuggets games, going under five times.