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The Western Conference finals between the Denver Nuggets and the LA Lakers is highly anticipated, with Game 1 set to take place in Denver on Tuesday. Despite the Lakers being the No. 7 seed and the Nuggets being the No. 1 seed, this series is expected to be a closely contested battle. The Lakers have already proven their championship mettle by winning the NBA title in 2020, led by their dynamic duo of LeBron James and Anthony Davis. It's worth noting that the Lakers defeated a Nuggets team led by Nikola Jokic in the 2020 Western Conference finals.
However, both teams have undergone significant roster changes since their last meeting, which adds an element of uncertainty to this rematch. As a result, the outcome could be different this time around.
According to various betting sites, the Nuggets are considered slight favorites to win the series. Sports Betting Dime and DraftKings, for example, have the Nuggets listed as -140 favorites, while the Lakers are viewed as +120 underdogs.
The Nuggets enter the series boasting the top offensive rating (118.7) and net rating (+8.6) in the playoffs. On the other hand, the Lakers have the top defensive rating (106.5) in the playoffs. This sets the stage for a compelling matchup, as whichever team emerges victorious will have a strong chance of contending for the 2023 NBA title.
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Draymond Green picks Lakers over Nuggets in Western Conference finals
One person who is feeling good about the Lakers’ chances against the Nuggets in the Western Conference finals is Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green. Following the Lakers’ Game 6 win over his Warriors in the Western Conference semifinals, Green previewed LA and Denver's matchup on “The Draymond Green Show.”
Green first spoke about how the matchup between the teams’ star big men will play a key role in the series:
“The (Anthony Davis-Nikola Jokic) matchup will be key. I think Joker being able to pull AD away from the rim is going to be a real thing,” Green said.
“The great thing about Joker, though, is that you can move him all over the court. You can move him to the high post, you can move him to the block, you can move him to the elbow, you can move him to the middle of the paint, the free-throw line area. You can move him around and that, I think, will create some issues for the Lakers' defense, especially with how they want to play with AD.”
Green added that the Lakers will have to find a way to limit Jokic offensively:
"It is going to be on the Lakers to either stop Joker from passing or stop him from scoring," Green said.
"The easier one to do is stop him from getting assists. You can't allow him to get both. He gets both, you lose. It's very simple.”
Green then said that he thinks Denver is ready to be a true title contender. However, he is still sticking with the Lakers to win the series in six games:
"It'll be a good series. Ultimately, Denver is ready, man,” Green said.
“I think Denver is ready, like, Denver is taking that next step, they're doing it, we're watching it ... but I think we're going to have a rerun of 2020. And I think the Lakers will take it. I got the Lakers, and I got the Lakers in six. Closing out at home in six."
