Los Angeles Lakers vs Denver Nuggets Picks and Predictions March 19th 2025

Los Angeles Lakers vs Denver Nuggets March 19th 2025

At 10:00 ET, the Lakers (-108) will host the Nuggets (-111) in a Western Conference matchup. Los Angeles (42-25) is currently favored by 1 point and has won two straight games. Denver (44-25) is 3rd in the West and 2nd in the Northwest Division.

This game will be played at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles and can be seen on ESPN. The over/under line for this matchup is 232.5 points.

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Nuggets vs. Lakers Key Information

• Sport: NBA
• Teams: Denver Nuggets at Los Angeles Lakers
• Where: Los Angeles at Crypto.com Arena
• Date: Wednesday, March 19th
• Betting Odds LAL -1, DEN -111 | LAL -108 O/U 232.5

The Nuggets Can Win If…

Denver improved to 44-25 on the season with a 114-105 road win over the Warriors on Monday. The Nuggets, who were +11.5 point underdogs, not only won but covered the spread. The game’s total points of 219 fell short of the 232.5 O/U line.

A key moment came when Denver went on an 11-0 run, turning a 36-29 deficit into a 40-36 lead. They extended their lead to 89-77 heading into the 4th quarter, and although the Warriors outscored them 28-25 in the final period, Denver held on for the win.

Aaron Gordon’s 38 points on 60.9% shooting, including 4 threes at 66.7%, led the Nuggets to a win over the Warriors. Michael Porter Jr. added 21 points, despite shooting 38.9% from the field and 30% from deep.

Denver hit 14 threes at 35.9%, with an overall field goal percentage of 46.7%. Gordon scored 13 points in the 2nd quarter and 12 more in the 3rd, while Porter added 11 points in the opening period.

Defensively, the Nuggets held the Warriors to 105 points on Monday, giving up 22 points in the 1st quarter and 28 points in both the 2nd and 4th quarters. Denver allowed 27 points in the 3rd.

The Nuggets limited the Warriors to 8 made threes on 24% shooting from deep. Golden State went 15/27 from the free-throw line. Denver finished with 12 steals and 7 blocks.

• Denver has played well in their previous three road games, going 2-1 straight up. In this stretch, they averaged 119 points per game while allowing 119. The team also performed well vs the spread at 2-1.
• In their last three games as the betting underdog, the Nuggets have a strong straight up record of 2-1. In addition, their ATS record was 2-1 in these scenarios.
• Over their last three games, the Nuggets have an over/under record of 2-1 and are 1-2 vs. the spread.

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The Lakers Can Win If…

With a 125-109 win over the Spurs on Monday, the Lakers improved to 42-25 this season. Playing at home, Los Angeles covered the -9.5 point spread, while the game’s total of 234 points went over the 230-point line.

A key moment came early when the Lakers went on a 12-0 run, turning a 9-5 deficit into a 17-9 lead. They maintained control, outscoring the Spurs in each of the first three quarters before San Antonio edged them 34-31 in the 4th.

Austin Reaves led the Lakers to a 125-109 win over the Spurs, scoring 30 points, 12 of which came in the 3rd quarter. He also added 7 rebounds and 6 assists, hitting 5 threes at 38.5% efficiency. The Lakers made 19 threes as a team, shooting 39.6% from deep and 48.9% overall from the field.

Luka Dončić struggled from the floor, shooting just 25%, but still contributed 21 points and 14 assists. He scored 12 points in the 1st quarter. Dorian Finney-Smith and Jordan Goodwin each added 15 points, with Finney-Smith hitting 4 threes at 50% efficiency.

The Lakers’ defense held the Spurs to 109 points on Monday, despite a 34-point 4th quarter from San Antonio. Los Angeles gave up 22 points in the 1st and 24 in the 3rd, their best defensive quarters.

San Antonio shot 46% from the field, including 39% from three with 15 made threes. The Spurs went 12/14 from the free-throw line. The Lakers grabbed 34 defensive rebounds and recorded 13 steals.

• Through their last three home games, Los Angeles has an ATS record of just 1-2. However, their overall record was 0-3 while averaging 113 points per game.
• Los Angeles has done well both straight up and vs the spread when favored to win the game, going 4-1 SU and 4-1 ATS in their last five games.
• In their last five games, the Lakers have an over/under record of 2-3 and are 5-0 vs. the spread.

The Lean

The Nuggets come in as the underdog at +1, making them our top choice on the point spread. We not only expect them to cover the spread but also believe they have a strong chance of winning the game outright, especially if you’re aiming for a higher moneyline payout.

As for the total, the line is currently sitting at 232.5 and our model has the Nuggets and Lakers finishing with a combined 224 points. Our pick is to take the under.

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Nuggets Bringing Healthier Bunch to Lakers Showdown

The Denver Nuggets and Los Angeles Lakers both secured recent wins despite missing key players, but only one team is expected to have its stars back when they meet on Wednesday in Los Angeles.

Nuggets Getting Reinforcements

The Lakers are likely to remain without LeBron James (groin) and Rui Hachimura (knee), while the Nuggets anticipate the return of Nikola Jokic (ankle, elbow) and Jamal Murray (ankle). Denver rested both stars on Monday against the Golden State Warriors, along with Christian Braun (foot), but still emerged with a 114-105 road victory over one of the NBA’s hottest teams.

“You don’t have the three-time MVP, who’s (scoring) 30 points a night. You don’t have Jamal Murray, who’s 20 points a night. You don’t have (Braun), who’s the No. 1 transition player in the league. Well, that means we’ve got to play hard, we’ve got to play desperate, we’ve got to play urgent, and we did that for 48 minutes.” — Michael Malone

Denver (44-25) sits in a tie for second place in the Western Conference, just one game ahead of the Lakers (42-25). The Nuggets have gone 3-3 since March 9, including a 131-126 home victory over Los Angeles last Friday. Jokic scored 28 points in that game, while Aaron Gordon stepped up with 38 points in Monday’s win over Golden State.

For bettors tracking NBA expert picks, the return of Jokic and Murray makes Denver a strong contender in this high-stakes matchup.

Lakers Battling Through Injuries

Los Angeles earned a 125-109 victory over the San Antonio Spurs on Monday despite being without James and Hachimura. Luka Doncic, still recovering from a Christmas Day calf injury, struggled with his shot (5-for-20, 1-for-7 from three) but contributed in other ways, finishing with 21 points, 14 assists, and nine rebounds.

“People start learning that at some point in the game, they’re going to double-team me. I accept that, and I like playing that. It saves my energy. We just get to play four on three. Guys are doing great out of that.” — Luka Doncic

Austin Reaves led the Lakers with 30 points, and Jaxson Hayes added nine points and 11 rebounds as Los Angeles controlled the game from start to finish, leading by as many as 28 points.

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Coach JJ Redick praised the team’s ball movement and offensive execution.

“I think it was 48 (3-point attempts) and 34 were uncontested. Our offensive decision-making and consistency where we had four really good offensive quarters was great.” — JJ Redick

The Lakers remain one game behind Denver in the standings and will need another strong performance to keep pace in the West’s tight playoff race. Those following NBA betting predictions will be watching closely to see if James makes an unexpected return.

Matchup Outlook

Denver holds a 2-1 edge in the season series against the Lakers, including their win last Friday. Counting playoff matchups, the Nuggets have dominated the rivalry, winning 14 of the last 16 meetings dating back to January 2023.

With Jokic and Murray expected back and the Lakers still missing key players, Denver looks poised to capitalize. However, the Lakers have been resilient despite injuries, making this an intriguing contest for those analyzing NBA predictions ahead of tipoff.