The best-of-seven series between the reigning NBA champion Denver Nuggets and Los Angeles Lakers moves to Crypto.com Arena for Thursday in Game 3, as the Lakers will attempt to beat Denver for just the first time since December 2022.
Let's put together a same-game parlay and win some money.
Series Preview: Denver Nuggets vs. Los Angeles Lakers Betting Odds
Denver Nuggets vs. Los Angeles Lakers Game 3
Matchup Page: Denver Nuggets vs. Los Angeles Lakers, 10 p.m. ET
| Bet | Odds |
|---|---|
| Los Angeles Lakers ATS -1 | -105 |
| Anthony Davis OVER 25.5 Points | -115 |
| Michael Porter Jr. 3+ Made 3-Pointers | -150 |
| Overall | +391 |
Same-Game Parlay Pick No. 1: Los Angeles Lakers ATS -1
All streaks come to an end sooner or later, and Los Angeles desperately needs its streak of failure against Denver to end on Thursday as no team has ever overcome an 0-3 deficit in a series in league history. Only four teams have forced a Game 7, but all four teams lost in the end.
The Lakers held double-digit leads in each of the first two outings, including a 20-point lead in the third quarter of Game 2. They're shooting better than the Nuggets overall, both from the field and 3-point range, yet are still down 0-2 after Jamal Murray buried a jumper over the outstretched arm of Anthony Davis to close Game 2 at Ball Arena.
Denver has won 10-straight games over Los Angeles across the regular and postseason dating back to Dec. 16, 2022. You'd think at some point the Lakers would conjure up a formula to prevail in this specific matchup, and maybe it all comes together on Thursday with any title aspirations they have basically on the line. We'll have learned a lot about both teams by the time the final buzzer sounds.
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Same-Game Parlay Pick No. 2: Anthony Davis OVER 25.5 Points
Los Angeles lacks the necessary bodies to throw at someone the size and caliber of Nikola Jokic, leaving the pressure to guard and contain the Most Valuable Player favorite squarely on the shoulders of Anthony Davis. He's playing a team-high 41.8 minutes because head coach Darvin Ham has no other options, but he can't run Davis into the ground at a full 48-minute slate.
The All-Star big man is averaging 32 points on 61.9 percent shooting, which is 5.5 points more than any one of his Lakers teammates. He's scored exactly 32 points each time, but he took only one shot attempt in the fourth quarter of Game 2 as Denver rallied to steal the win late.
An OVER/UNDER of 25.5 points for this leg of the same-game parlay should be a layup, and you've got to think Los Angeles will try and get Davis going in the final 12 minutes to erase any notion of him fading away in clutch time.
Same-Game Parlay Pick No. 3: Michael Porter Jr. 3+ Made 3-Pointers
We're revisiting a Michael Porter Jr. 3-pointers made prop because it's worked so well for us in the past, with his outside marksmanship carrying over from the regular season to now being a nuisance for the Lakers early on in the playoffs.
Porter Jr. is shooting 9-of-17 from 3-point range against Los Angeles, which equates to a 52.9-percent clip. He's made at least three 3-pointers in each game, and is coming off a 6-of-10 shooting night from the perimeter in Game 2.
Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray are the primary focus of the Lakers' defensive game plan, but that leaves Porter Jr. hovering around the 3-point line for ample looks from deep. Los Angeles can't afford to double team Denver's stars, because that creates cleaner looks for the 25-year-old forward, but that won't stop them from doing so.
