Nuggets vs. Lakers (Oct. 30): Will L.A.’s sorry start stop tonight against Denver?

Written by: Eddie Griffin

Published: Sun Oct 30, 2022, 11:54 am ET

Read Time: 2 minutes

Nuggets vs. Lakers (Oct. 30): Will L.A.’s sorry start stop tonight against Denver? cover

nba

FINAL

Denver Nuggets

110

Los Angeles Lakers

121

See Picks & Statistics For The Game

Almost two weeks into the new NBA season, and only one team remains without a single win. Will the Los Angeles Lakers still be in search of that elusive win after tonight's matchup with the Denver Nuggets?

On Friday night, the Lakers were in a competitive game with the Minnesota Timberwolves in the fourth quarter, but they couldn't get over the hump yet and fell 111-102 at the Target Center.

Tonight, they are back home to face Nikola Jokic and the Nuggets, who they lost to 110-99 in Denver on Wednesday.

Wednesday's game was close for a half until Denver took control in a third quarter in which they outscored L.A. 32-17. The venue will be different tonight, but will the result be? There's little reason to feel like it will.

Denver Nuggets vs. Los Angeles Lakers Matchup Information and Betting Odds

Matchup Information

Matchup: Denver Nuggets (4-2, 1-2 away) vs. Los Angeles Lakers (0-5, 0-2 home)
Venue & Location: Crypto.com Arena (Los Angeles, California)
Date: Sunday, October 30, 2022
Game Time: 9:30 p.m. Eastern Time (6:30 p.m. local time)

Nuggets vs. Lakers Odds

Game odds are via BetOnline as of Sunday, October 30 at 11:10 a.m. Eastern.

Spread

Denver Nuggets -4 (-110)
Los Angeles Lakers +4 (-110)

Over/Under

Over 228 (-110)
Under 228 (-110)

Moneyline

Denver Nuggets -168
Los Angeles Lakers +140

Denver Nuggets vs. Los Angeles Lakers Prediction and Best Bets

Nuggets vs. Lakers Prediction: Nuggets to win

Nuggets vs. Lakers Best Bets: Nuggets/Lakers over (Best Value: over 228 @ -110 at BetOnline)

There is perhaps something encouraging in how the Lakers did play hard in Minnesota and could have had achieved a different result with a few better bounces of the ball.

But given how Denver was able to pull away in the second half and put them away comfortably at Ball Arena on Wednesday, it's hard to see things going differently tonight with how things are going for the Lakers.

Russell Westbrook didn't play in Wednesday's game, but his early-season struggles continued at Minnesota (6 for 17 FG, 1-4 3PT, 5-10 FT, three assists, five turnovers, four fouls) and it feels like there's no light at the end of the tunnel until or unless he is traded, or something magically turns around.

There's really no rhyme or reason for a team with two of the top talents in the NBA to be struggling this badly, but if you followed this team and how it has been composed and performed over the last few seasons, it's not really a surprise, is it?

In any event, the long and short of all of this is that I don't think the Lakers are winning tonight and will fade them until they can actually put some wins together, whenever that is.