2024-04-17 02:43:03
Will the Denver Nuggets repeat as NBA champions this year?
Mackenzie Salmon and Safid Deen sit down to discuss whether or not the Denver Nuggets are capable of winning back-to-back championships.
The No. 2-seeded Denver Nuggets will face the No. 7 Los Angeles Lakers in the first round of the NBA Playoffs.
Game 1 of the best-of-seven series is set for 7:30 p.m. Saturday in Denver. The Nuggets swept the regular-season series, 3-0, and won those games by an average of 10 points.
Denver also swept Los Angeles last season in the conference finals. The Nuggets went on to win their first championship in franchise history.
Los Angeles secured the No. 7 seed on Tuesday with a 110-106 win over New Orleans in the play-in tournament.
Here’s a look at how the first-round matchup is projected to play out:
Play-in tournament picks: Lakers at Pelicans | Warriors at Kings | Heat at 76ers | Hawks at Bulls | Kings at Pelicans
First-round picks: Cavaliers vs Magic | Bucks vs Pacers | Minnesota vs Phoenix | Los Angeles vs Dallas | Nuggets vs Lakers
More: 2024 NBA playoffs: Complete schedule, bracket breakdown, how to watch
The Oklahoman: Denver, 4-1
Justin Martinez writes: “Los Angeles is playing its best basketball of the season. But it still hasn’t discovered a winning formula against Denver, which has won the last eight meetings. On defense, the Nuggets can make life difficult for LeBron James by throwing Aaron Gordon at him. On offense, their two-man game of Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray is virtually unstoppable. Los Angeles will take a game this time, but Denver will still prevail.”
DraftKings: Denver (-310) is the favorite to win the first-round playoff series vs Los Angeles
Denver opened as a -310 favorite to beat Los Angeles in the first round of the playoffs.
- Series winner: Denver -310 | Los Angeles +250
- Win in 4: Denver +500 | Los Angeles +3000
- Win in 5: Denver +285 | Los Angeles +2000
- Win in 6: Denver +425 | Los Angeles +650
- Win in 7: Denver +340 | Los Angeles +900
More: OKC Thunder clinches top seed in West for NBA Playoffs with rout of Dallas Mavericks
BetMGM: Denver (-6.5) is favored to win Game 1 vs Los Angeles
Denver is a 6.5-point favorite to beat Los Angeles in Game 1 on Saturday.
- Over/under: 222.5
- Moneyline: Denver -250 | Los Angeles +210
ESPN: Denver has a 68.6% chance to beat Los Angeles in Game 1
ESPN gives Denver a 68.6% chance to beat Los Angeles in Game 1 on Saturday.
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