Free Daily NFL Lock Pick, Monday October 23rd: Minnesota vs San Francisco 8:15pmET
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The Los Angeles Lakers (43-39 SU, 40-41-1 ATS, 43-38-1 O/U LY) open up the 2023-24 NBA season facing the World Champion Denver Nuggets (53-29 SU, 45-37 ATS, 37-44-1 O/U LY) from Ball Arena in Colorado at 8pmET.
Last season, the Nuggets swept the Lakers in four games in the Western Conference finals to reach the NBA Finals, where they won the first-ever NBA title.
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Let's face it. The Los Angeles Lakers had a pretty good run in the NBA playoffs last season thanks to Anthony Davis and LeBron James. They finished just 43-39 so expectations weren't quite as high, but thanks to the additions of Rui Hachimura, D'Angelo Russell, and Jarred Vanderbilt and better health for Davis and James, the Lakers were able to get through to the Western Conference finals, before meeting Nikola Jokic and the Denver juggernaut. Another key move was getting rid of erratic Russell Westbrook in late February. That was addition by subtraction.
So, this season, Davis returns after averaging 25.9 points and 12.5 rebounds with 2.0 blocks per game. There are few big men in the league who can dominate the paint on both ends. He also played in just 56 games this season (James played 55), though with the new rules for resting star players, those numbers might be a bit higher. James averaged 28.9 points, 8.3 rebounds and 6.8 assists in 35.5 minutes per game at 38. If he has to play more games, head coach Darvin Ham may have to play him less minutes and expect to see that type of strategy for strategy for aging players around the league.
Not only did the Lakers add those three key players last season, but the emergence of guard Austin Reaves (13ppg, 3.4apg) was another reason for their success. He shot 39.8% from the three-point line in the regular season, but in the playoffs, he averaged 16.9 points per game. He and Russell may share the backcourt again, the Russell was benched in the playoffs for Dennis Schroder, who is now in Toronto. Gabe Vincent comes over from Miami to add another option at the point. He was outstanding in the playoffs last season for the Heat, shooting 37.8% from long range.
Los Angeles needed some frontcourt depth and Christian Wood is a long and experienced player at power forward, who avera ged 16.6 points and 7.3 rebounds with Dallas last season. For the Lakers to get back to the Western Conference Finals, they will need for their two stars to remain healthy come playoff time and for Reaves and Hachimura (11.2ppg) to continue to ascend as players.
Free Daily NFL Lock Pick, Monday October 23rd: Minnesota vs San Francisco 8:15pmET CLICK TO SEE PICK NOW