The Los Angeles Lakers and Denver Nuggets clash Tuesday night in each team’s 1st game of the season. Tip from Ball Arena is set for 6:30 p.m. ET (TNT). Let’s analyze BetMGM Sportsbook’s'lines around the Lakers vs. Nuggets odds and make our expert NBA picks and predictions.
Season series: Tied 2-2 in regular season last year; Denver swept the Lakers in a 4-game series in the postseason.
The Lakers stayed pretty much status quo in the offseason as they lost role players G Dennis Schroder and F Malik Beasley. They signed free-agent C Christian Wood, F Taurean Prince and C Jaxson Hayes in the offseason. This team will be led by F LeBron James and F Anthony Davis, and they’ll go as far as their health takes them.
The reigning champs are bringing everyone back for the title defense. They took down the Miami Heat in 5 games for the franchise’s 1st NBA Championship. The Nuggets won both matchups against the Lakers at Ball Arena last season and went 34-7 on their home floor. G Jamal Murray proved he’s all the way back from a torn ACL, and C Nikola Jokic is a nightly matchup problem and triple-double threat.