Los Angeles Lakers – Denver Nuggets, game N1

Published on 19 May, 2009 | Leave a comment from James

The time for the Conferences Finals have come and the teams who will open this part of the season are the Western Champions in the regular season – Los Angeles Lakers, and the 2nd placed on the West – Denver Nuggets.

Los Angeles, after the good start of the Playoffs and the 4:1 win in the first series against the Utah Jazz, suffered a lot in the second round agains the Rockets taking the series to 7 games, and despite their 118:78 win in game N5 they failed to impress as whole. Yeah, the Lakers won the last game 89:70 but I don’t like the way that they played in it and with this style of play they will have some very tough matches against the Nuggets and they could even lose the series. Still more, Houston were without their star player Big-China gun Yao Ming in the last 4 games, and without their second center Dikeme Mutombo, but despite these facts Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum cannot take a big advantage in the paint and the Lakers lost two games with 12 and 15 points margin. Yes, Kobe Bryant showed so many times that in the crucial matches of his team he can play above his possibilities and take the team to the win, but let’s don’t forget that in the Nuggets’ team there are also such kind of players.

Denver Nuggets reached the Western Conference’s Final without any problems, as in the first round they beated New Orleans Hornets with 4:1 wins (even they won one game in the Hornets’ hall with 58 (!) points margin – 121:63) and in the second round they went through the Dallas Mavericks with the same result – 4:1. Some interesting fact is that in the two lost games, the Nuggets were beaten by only 2 points (93:95 by the Hornets and 117:119 by the Mavericks). The team is fighting hard till the last whistle in all of their games and even when they are leading they continue to play hard and without any relaxation. And with Nene and Kenyon Martin in the paint it will be a lot difficult for Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum in these series, as in my opinion the problems will start in tonight’s game. Also, the Nuggets have Carmelo Anthony which is Kobe’s equivalent with his skills for deciding matches and taking responsibility in the hard and crucial moments for the team. Carmelo already won one game for the Nuggets with buzzer-beater 3 point shot against the Mavericks in game N3 and he is able to do it again. Still more, he is playing very good from the start of the Playoffs but we can say the same for so many Denver players – the mentioned above Nene and Kenyon Martin, Chauncey Billups, Dahntay Jones, J.R. Smith, Chris Andersen and in some aspects Anthony Carter and Linas Kleiza. So, the Nuggets have one very good and balanced team, which is in every way equal to the Lakers’ (and maybe some better) and they are absolutely able to surprise them.

So, in these thoughts, I expect one very contestation series and in my opinion some games will be decided in the last seconds of the fourth quarters. And with the so weak style of play by the Lakers in their last 2 away games and the very good play of the Nuggets both home and away I don’t think that the Lakers will manage to win a game in Denver but the Nuggets are able to do it in Los Angeles.

Picks:
for tonight’s game: Denver Nuggets (+6.5) @1.90 in bet365,
Denver Nuggets to win the game @3.40 in bet365.
Los Angeles Lakers 105:103 Denver Nuggets


for the series: Denver Nuggets to win the series @3.30 in bet365.


Good Luck.

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