The NBA season is coming to an end with less than a month of basketball on the schedule. The four best teams remain, and the teams that win four games will advance to the NBA Finals. The teams match up well in their respective conference finals. This is the first of what will be a column each day of the conference games (at minimum the next eight days). It will include general thoughts on the game, profitable betting angles, and ‘The Golden Triangle’, a three player base for DFS.

LA Lakers vs DEN Nuggets GAME 1 8:30 ET PM
The Los Angeles Lakers made their way through the team with the best home record in the NBA (Memphis Grizzlies), and the defending champions (Golden State Warriors). The additions of D’Angelo Russell and Jarred Vanderbilt have played well, Austin Reeves is playing his best basketball, and the team has been developing their rhythm in the playoffs. LeBron James and Anthony Davis (AD) are capable of carrying the Lakers to the finals.

The Denver Nuggets have quietly been dominating the Western Conference for the entirety of 2023. They have been the the number one seed for almost five full months, yet were not favorites to win the NBA Finals or the Western Conference. They took down a dysfunctional, yet high scoring Minnesota Timberwolves, and then went on to dismantle the sportsbooks NBA champion favorite, the Phoenix Suns. The Nuggets are not as flashy as the Lakers, but have homegrown talent in Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray, and Michael Porter Jr. (MPJ). Plus the additions of Aaron Gordon and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (KCP), the latter of which was on the 2020-21 Lakers. Brown and Braun off the bench have been playing equal to or better than their starting counterparts, and the Nuggets are the most complete team in the NBA Playoffs.

The Nuggets are -6 point favorites on the spread, and -245 on the moneyline compared to the Lakers at +205. The total of the game is at 222.5 which seems accurate, with a slight tilt on the over. Denver has not lost a playoff game at Ball Arena this post season, and they should not tonight.

The Best Props of the Night:
MPJ OVER 2.5 Threes made (+105). He made five in his last game at Ball Arena, and this at one point was automatic. He looks healthy, and he played 24+ minutes in all but one game against the Suns. The Lakers perimeter defenders will not have the length to guard MPJ efficiently.
KCP OVER 9.5 Points (-120). He went over this line in four of his six games against the Suns, and his regular season average was 10.8. He should be well rested and he has the trust of all his peers. A shooting guard should get ten points in a conference finals, and this game is a bit personal for him.

The Daily Fantasy set up is a one-game captain mode on Draftkings. Meaning one player scores 1.5x fantasy points, but also cost more as well.

The Golden Triangle
NIkola Jokic is the center for the Golden Triangle, and also the captain. He’s the most expensive because he’s worth it. $19,200.
Michael Porter Jr. is a must have forward. He should be attacking the paint, earning rebounds, and appears to have found his shot agin. He is averaging 29.2 fantasy points per game, and currently cost $7,000.
There are two guards that are worth a look, but a triangle has 3 points, not 3.5. An affordable option at $4,600 is Dennis Schroder. He is averaging 23 fantasy points per game, matches against Jamal Murray and KCP better than Beasley or Reeves. Schroder will be asked to score his season average of 11.9 points or more, and allows for money distribution elsewhere

Enjoy the tip-off of what is the best four teams of the 2023 season.

Bet Smart, Be Lucky – Iggy