NBA Playoffs Best Bets, Picks & Predictions: Tuesday (5/16)

The NBA Conference Finals will begin tonight!

The Los Angeles Lakers will take on the Denver Nuggets to play in the NBA Finals.

This is nothing new for LeBron James. He’s won plenty of rings. But for Nikola Jokic, a championship will allow him to cement his legacy in the game.

What can we expect in Game 1 of the Western Finals?

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Today’s Best NBA Bets

Odds courtesy of Caesars Sportsbook. All wagers are 1 unit

Los Angeles Lakers vs. Denver Nuggets

In the regular season, the Lakers and Nuggets each won two games. However, all of those games came earlier than January 10. The Lakers have changed a lot since then. They’re also peaking at the right time and have probably given LeBron James the most depth he’s ever played with.

The Lakers have scored 111.7 points per 100 possessions. They’ve also been getting to the foul line at a very high pace, especially in the playoffs. But that’s ultimately due to LeBron James and Anthony Davis playing inside and taking fewer threes. This is an aggressive team.

However, the Nuggets have limited teams to a 20.0 free throw rate, which is the eighth-best in the league. Denver has always been terrific on the defensive glass and has held opponents to 110.8 points per 100 possessions.

That’s going to be a fun matchup. But the Nuggets’ offense versus the Lakers’ defense will be the difference maker. The Nuggets have scored 121.1 points per 100 possessions. They’ve also shot a 56.1% effective field goal percentage and rarely turn the ball over.

Meanwhile, the Lakers have been the best defense in the NBA, holding opponents to 106.9 points per 100 possessions. Ultimately, the Lakers made the former champs look silly in multiple games.

Los Angeles is also the best at limiting fouls on the defensive end. So there’s a good chance that the Lakers still win the free-throw battle in this series.

Of course, Denver’s made the most apparent adjustments in their previous series. They mocked the Minnesota Timberwolves and said that they knew their plays. Meanwhile, the Nuggets took care of business in Game 6 against the Suns, winning 125-100 in a huge blowout win. But none of this will be consistent against LeBron’s Lakers.

Both teams are tremendous on both ends of the floor. That’s why they’re facing each other in the Western Conference Finals. But in the last three games between these two, at least one team scored 121 or more points. With the total at 222, I’m going to ride the over. Both teams have had plenty of time to rest up. Therefore, I like shots to fall tonight.

Bet: Over 222 (-110)

Also, take a look at our other best bets for Tuesday:

• MLB No Runs First Inning (NRFI) Picks & Predictions
• MLB Player To Hit A Home Run Picks & Predictions
• NBA Playoffs Same Game Parlay Odds, Picks & Predictions
• NBA Playoffs First Basket Scorer Prop Bet Odds, Picks & Predictions

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