The first game of the 2023 NBA Western Conference Finals was amazing. If all games from now on are nearly as good as this one, basketball fans won’t have a single reason to complain. And the Denver Nuggets are starting the series with a win, another one at home, giving them the lead by 1-0 after a great 132-126 win.
Playing at home have being more than a factor to the Nuggets. So far in the playoffs, Nikola Jokić and his teammates haven’t lost a single game playing in Denver. Check out all home games from the Denver Nuggets so far in the playoffs:
- 109-80 W vs. MIN – 1st-Round Game 1 (1-0)
- 122-113 W vs. MIN – 1st-Round Game 2 (2-0)
- 112-109 W vs. MIN – 1st-Round Game 5 (4-1)
- 125-107 W vs. PHX – Conference Semifinals Game 1 (1-0)
- 97-87 W vs. PHX – Conference Semifinals Game 2 (2-0)
- 118-102 W vs. PHX – Conference Semifinals Game 5 (3-2)
- 132-126 W vs. LAL – Conference Finals Game 1 (1-0)
Last night's game was so good that the Nuggets scored 30+ points in three quarters and the Lakers did it in two. After winning the first half of the game by 72-54, the home team saw the visitors trying a comeback, which only stopped at the final buzzer in the 4th period, with a point differential moving from 18 at halftime to 6 in the end.
Best Performances
Is it still necessary informing that Nikola Jokić scored a triple-double? From now on maybe we should only say something when he doesn’t. Jokes aside, he had another outstanding performance, but he wasn’t the only one. Check out this game’s numbers.
Denver Nuggets
- Nikola Jokić – 34 PTS/21 REB/14 AST
- Jamal Murray – 31 PTS/5 REB/5 AST
- Kentavious Caldwell-Pope – 21 PTS
- Michael Porter Jr. – 15 PTS/10 REB
Los Angeles Lakers
- Anthony Davis – 40 PTS/10 REB
- LeBron James – 26 PTS/12 REB/9 AST
- Austin Reaves – 23 PTS/8 AST
Bets
We had a great performance in this game, especially on the less risky predictions. Among those, we hit the spread line, the over/under line and a couple of picks in LeBron James and Nikola Jokić as both had excellent performances. Check out the outcome of our predictions in this match.
- LA Lakers +6.5 (LAL lost by 6)
- Over 222.5 points (258 points)
- Anthony Davis over 22.5 points (40 points)
- D’Angelo Russell over 2.5 rebounds (0 rebounds)
- Austin Reaves over 0.5 steals (0 steals)
- LeBron James over 39.5 points, assists and rebounds combined (26 PTS/12 REB/9 AST = 47 total)
- Nikola Jokić over 50.5 points, assists and rebounds combined (34 PTS/21 REB/14 AST = 69 total)
- Anthony Davis 15+ rebounds (10 rebounds)
- LA Lakers over 109.5 points (126 points)
- Nikola Jokić to score 50+ points (34 points)
