Play Now <br> <a href="https://picks.cbssports.com/college-basketball/ncaa-tournament/bracket" class="">Men's Brackets</a> <br> Play Now <br> <a href="https://picks.cbssports.com/college-basketball/ncaaw-tournament/bracket" class="">Women's Brackets</a> <br> <a href="/podcasts/the-early-edge-a-daily-sportsline-betting-podcast/" class="">A Daily SportsLine Betting Podcast</a> <br> <a href="/podcasts/fantasy-football-today-podcast/" class="">NFL Draft is coming up!</a> <br>The <a class="Annotation-link" href="https://www.cbssports.com/nba/teams/LAL/los-angeles-lakers/">Los Angeles Lakers</a> will try to bounce back from a devastating Game 2 defeat when they host the <a class="Annotation-link" href="https://www.cbssports.com/nba/teams/DEN/denver-nuggets/">Denver Nuggets</a> on Thursday in a crucial Game 3 of their 2024 NBA playoffs series. In Game 2, Los Angeles led by as many as 20 points in the second half before Denver rallied for a 101-99 win. The defeat was the largest blown lead by any team in an NBA postseason game in the last 25 seasons. The Nuggets lead the best-of-seven first round Western Conference playoff series 2-0.<br>Tip-off is scheduled for 10 p.m. ET at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. The Lakers are listed as 1-point favorites in the latest Nuggets vs. Lakers odds, per SportsLine consensus, while the Over/Under for total points scored is 217. Before making any Lakers vs. Nuggets picks, be sure to <a href="https://www.sportsline.com/insiders/nuggets-vs-lakers-odds-line-proven-nba-model-reveals-spread-picks-for-game-3-playoff-matchup/#ttag=04242024_agg_cbssports_picks_basketball_nba_model_NuggetsLakers" target="_blank" rel="noopener">see the NBA predictions and betting advice from SportsLine's proven computer model</a>.<br>The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every NBA game 10,000 times and has returned well over $10,000 in profit for $100 players on its top-rated <a href="https://www.sportsline.com/nba/picks/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">NBA picks</a> over the past five-plus seasons. The model enters the second week of the 2024 NBA playoffs on a sizzling 90-58 roll on all top-rated NBA picks this season, returning more than $2,800. Anyone following the model has seen huge returns.<br>Now, the model has set its sights on <a href="https://www.sportsline.com/nba/game-forecast/NBA_20240425_DEN@LAL/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Nuggets vs. Lakers</a> and just locked in its picks and Game 3 predictions. You can <a href="https://www.sportsline.com/insiders/nuggets-vs-lakers-odds-line-proven-nba-model-reveals-spread-picks-for-game-3-playoff-matchup/#ttag=04242024_agg_cbssports_picks_basketball_nba_model_NuggetsLakers" target="_blank" rel="noopener">visit SportsLine now to see the picks</a>. Here are several <a href="https://www.sportsline.com/nba/odds" target="_blank" rel="noopener">NBA betting lines</a> and trends for Lakers vs. Nuggets:<br>The reigning NBA champs have dominated the head-to-head series against Los Angeles recently as Denver has beaten the Lakers 10 straight times. That stretch includes a four-game sweep against Los Angeles in last season's Western Conference Finals and three wins during the 2023-24 regular season. The Lakers haven't beaten the Nuggets since Dec. 16, 2022.<br>In addition, Denver may have found a way to slow Davis and the Los Angeles offense in Game 2. After giving up 68 points in the first 26 minutes, Nuggets coach Michael Malone switched <a class="Annotation-link" href="/nba/players/2135532/aaron-gordon/">Aaron Gordon</a> onto the Lakers big man. After that, Denver allowed just 31 points in the final 22 minutes. <a href="https://www.sportsline.com/insiders/nuggets-vs-lakers-odds-line-proven-nba-model-reveals-spread-picks-for-game-3-playoff-matchup/#ttag=04242024_agg_cbssports_picks_basketball_nba_model_NuggetsLakers" target="_blank" rel="noopener">See which team to back at SportsLine</a>. <br><a class="Annotation-link" href="/nba/players/400553/lebron-james/">LeBron James</a> remains an elite player. From the All-Star break to the end of the regular season, the 39-year-old James averaged 27.5 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 9.5 assists while shooting 58.4% from the field, 45.0% on 3-pointers, and 76.9% from the free-throw line. So far this series, he is averaging 26.5 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 10.0 assists while shooting 54.5% from beyond the 3-point arc.<br>In addition, Davis has been elite offensively so far in this series. The 31-year-old Davis has scored 32 points in each of the first two games while averaging 12.5 rebounds. He is also shooting 61.9% from the field and 92.3% from the free-throw line. <a href="https://www.sportsline.com/insiders/nuggets-vs-lakers-odds-line-proven-nba-model-reveals-spread-picks-for-game-3-playoff-matchup/#ttag=04242024_agg_cbssports_picks_basketball_nba_model_NuggetsLakers" target="_blank" rel="noopener">See which team to back at SportsLine</a>. <br>SportsLine's model is leaning Over on the total, projecting the teams to combine for 219 points. The model also says one side of the spread hits over in 50% of simulations. <a href="https://www.sportsline.com/insiders/nuggets-vs-lakers-odds-line-proven-nba-model-reveals-spread-picks-for-game-3-playoff-matchup/#ttag=04242024_agg_cbssports_picks_basketball_nba_model_NuggetsLakers" target="_blank" rel="noopener">You can see the picks only at SportsLine</a>. <br><strong>So who wins Lakers vs. Nuggets, and which side of the spread hits over 50% of the time? <a href="https://www.sportsline.com/insiders/nuggets-vs-lakers-odds-line-proven-nba-model-reveals-spread-picks-for-game-3-playoff-matchup/#ttag=04242024_agg_cbssports_picks_basketball_nba_model_NuggetsLakers" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the Nuggets vs. Lakers spread you need to jump on, all from the model on a 90-58 roll on top-rated NBA picks this season</a>, and find out.</strong><br>© 2004-2024 CBS Interactive. All Rights Reserved.<br>CBS Sports is a registered trademark of CBS Broadcasting Inc. Commissioner.com is a registered trademark of CBS Interactive Inc.<br>Images by Getty Images and US Presswire<br><br><a href="https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMiigFodHRwczovL3d3dy5jYnNzcG9ydHMuY29tL25iYS9uZXdzL251Z2dldHMtdnMtbGFrZXJzLW9kZHMtc3ByZWFkLXNjb3JlLXByZWRpY3Rpb24tdGltZS0yMDI0LW5iYS1wbGF5b2ZmLXBpY2tzLWdhbWUtMy1iZXN0LWJldHMtZnJvbS1tb2RlbC_SAY4BaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuY2Jzc3BvcnRzLmNvbS9uYmEvbmV3cy9udWdnZXRzLXZzLWxha2Vycy1vZGRzLXNwcmVhZC1zY29yZS1wcmVkaWN0aW9uLXRpbWUtMjAyNC1uYmEtcGxheW9mZi1waWNrcy1nYW1lLTMtYmVzdC1iZXRzLWZyb20tbW9kZWwvYW1wLw?oc=5">source</a>
