Germantas Kneita
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The first round of the NBA playoffs has served up a rematch of last years Western Conference finals. The Los Angeles Lakers will once again be taking on the Denver Nuggets, hoping to avoid another sweep. Tonight’s hosts will be feeling confident ahead of this one, having won each of the last 8 games against their opponents. However, this Lakers team seems re-energized and should be up for the challenge. You can check out all of our NBA picks for today’s games, but for now, let’s jump into my Lakers vs Nuggets Same Game Parlay.
Davis 0ver 13.5 rebounds (+100)
Davis 3+ blocks (+130)
Jokic over 9.5 assists (-122)
Parlay odds: +535
Anthony Davis 0ver 13.5 rebounds (+100)
The Lakers do not like to directly match up Anthony Davis with Nikola Jokic. Instead, they will likely put Rui Hachimura on the former MVP and have Davis play as the help defender. I expect that to leave him in a great rebounding position on the defensive end. He should see no shortage of playing time either. He managed 40 minutes in his las outing against the New Orleans Pelicans and should see similar time if this game stays competitive. The Lakers finished the last 10 game of the season playing the fastest pace in the league. If they employ something similar tonight, there should be no shortage of possessions for both sides. That should lead to rebounding opportunities for the Lakers center.
Anthony Davis 3+ blocks (+130)
Playing as the help defender will also create chances for Davis to rack up blocks against the Nuggets. In games this season against them, he does average 3 rejections per game, including 4 in the last meeting between the sides. The Nuggets are a side that loves to attack the inside too. They ranked 5th this season in points in the paint, and dead last in 3-point attempts per game. That combination should mean that they are constantly getting into range tonight where Davis should be able to impact their shots. Look for him to be able to send a fair few of them back tonight.
Nikola Jokic over 9.5 assists (-122)
In last year’s playoffs, Jokic dominated the Lakers with his ability to pass the ball, managing double-digit assists in 3 of the 4 games, averaging 11.8 in the series. He is coming into this postseason after the second-best season of his career in terms of passing, averaging 9.5 assists per game. With the shortened rotations that happen in the playoffs, he should be able to up this tonight. As mentioned, he should have a smaller defender on him tonight, but with help coming from Davis, it should be an incentive for him to share the ball. The Lakers also finished the season 27th in opponent fast break points per game. That should encourage Jokic to push the ball up the court straight from defensive rebounds, something he is elite at. That should be 3 or 4 assists for him tonight alone. Back the over as a result. He should have a triple-double tonight.
