The Los Angeles Lakers seek to add another win to prolong this series, while the Denver Nuggets look to close out Game 5 and move onto the next round of the NBA Playoffs. ZenSports Tennessee sportsbook has the Nuggets as 7.5-point spread (-114) favorites at home.

When: April 29, 2023 at 10:00 PM ET

Where: Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado

Watch: TNT

Los Angeles Lakers Preview

The Lakers are holding on by a thread and are now down 3-1 in this series. They put themselves in a position to avoid the sweep after a 119-108 victory over the Nuggets in Game 4, where LeBron James led with 30 points.

They maintain an average of 106.5 points, shooting at a rate of 49.9 percent, while conceding 108.8 points with a 46 percent shooting rate per game. A large part of their success in Game 4 was due to a few players breaking through, such as Anthony Davis averaging 30.5 points and 15.8 rebounds, alongside LeBron James with 27.3 points and 6.3 rebounds. Notably, Austin Reaves contributes as the third double-digit scorer.

The team’s three-point shooting stands at 30.4 percent, with a free throw percentage of 80.6. Additionally, their defensive prowess is reflected in a 27.6 percent opposition three-point shooting rate and an average of 40.5 rebounds per game. If they can find ways to improve offensively and keep their leads when they have them, this series might be prolonged once more.

Denver Nuggets Preview

The Nuggets only need one more win to clinch this series and move onto the second round. Each game of this series has been competitive and close, with Game 3 being another example as the Lakers had a slight lead over the Nuggets for the first half of the game. However, the Nuggets would go on to win 112-105.

They boast an average of 108.8 points per game on 46 percent shooting while allowing the Lakers to average 106.5 points on 49.9 percent shooting. Nikola Jokic maintains an impressive average of 29 points and 15.3 rebounds, complemented by Michael Porter Jr. with 22 points and 9.5 rebounds. Jamal Murray, who is probable for this game, contributes as the third double-digit scorer, while Aaron Gordon has been another huge contributor with 9.0 rebounds a game.

Their three-point shooting stands at 27.6 percent, with an 85.7 percent success with free-throws. Defensively, they allow their opponents to 30.4 percent shooting from beyond the arc and grab 46.3 rebounds per game. At this rate, they have the tools to hand the Lakers another compelling matchup and are strong at home.

Betting Odds

ZenSports Tennessee sportsbook gives you competitive odds for Game 5 of this series. The Denver Nuggets are moderately favored at home, with market insights predicting they have a 67.0 percent likelihood of succeeding.

Los Angeles Lakers: +222

Point Spread: +7.5 (-111)

Denver Nuggets: -300

Point Spread: -7.5 (-114)

Total Points: Over 216.5 (-115), Under 216.5 (-110)

Photo Credit: © Jason Parkhurst-USA TODAY Sports