NBA betting matches up the two best teams in the Western Conference as the Los Angeles Lakers host the Denver Nuggets. The Lakers are favored in basketball betting in this game that can be seen on ABC television. NBA betting has seen the Nuggets and Lakers splitting their last ten meetings. The Nuggets are actually 6-4 against the basketball betting odds in those games. The teams have already met twice this season and Denver has blown out the Lakers in both meetings. They won at home 105-79 back in November and they won at Los Angeles 126-113 earlier this month. The Lakers dispatched of the Nuggets in the playoffs a year ago and it is obvious that Denver wanted some revenge. Winning for a third time might be difficult considering this game is high profile on ABC and that usually means Kobe Bryant and the Lakers play well. Since the Lakers and Nuggets score a lot of points would think the games between the two teams would be high scoring. That is not always the case. Six of the last ten meetings have actually gone under the NBA betting total.
The Nuggets and Lakers are similar teams. They both are well respected in NBA betting and that means they are oftentimes overvalued. The Nuggets have a losing record vs. the basketball betting odds on the road. The Nuggets are very good on offense as they are 2nd in the league but the defense is 22nd in the league. Carmelo Anthony has led the team in scoring and he is right with LeBron James for the scoring lead in the NBA.
The Lakers have a losing record at home vs. the NBA betting odds. Los Angeles is simply overvalued most of the time in basketball betting and it shows up at home where the Lakers are always laying point. Kobe leads the team in scoring. The one difference between the Nuggets and Lakers in NBA betting is that Los Angeles is 9th in the league on defense. Los Angeles can actually make some defensive stops while Denver rarely stops anyone. If Denver is to oust the Lakers this year in the playoffs then they will have to improve their defense and find ways to stop Kobe. They will get a chance to do that on Sunday at Staples Center in this NBA betting matchup.