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David Banks
Denver Nuggets vs. Los Angeles Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers (44-28, 30-42 ATS) are not a team that is used to
being pushed to the brink in the opening round of the playoffs, but the Denver
Nuggets (41-31, 40-32 ATS) have done just that thanks to a blowout home win
in Game 6. The Lakers have advanced to the second round every year since
2007 while never facing a possible elimination game in the first round, but
they are facing one now as Game 7 of this series will take place on Saturday
night from the Staples Center in Los Angeles, CA at 10:30 ET, and it will be
televised on TNT.
Thus, Los Angeles gets a second and last chance to wrap up this series at
home, something that it failed to do in Game 5 in a 102-99 loss as a
six-point favorite where the Lakers were extremely lackadaisical until the last 4:00
or so. That was the game preceded by Andrew Bynum's already infamous
statement about close-out games being easy, a quote that the Nuggets no doubt had
plastered all over their bulletin board. The Lakers were then embarrassed
113-96 in Game 6 on Thursday, as a physically ill Kobe Bryant was still their
only starter to show up. Bryant was sick to his stomach and was forced to
take intravenous fluids all day long, but he did score 31 points. This time it
was Bryant's fellow stars that let Los Angeles down as the bench did do its
part, contributing a total of 27 points. However, the aforementioned Bynum
shot just 4-for-11 for 11 points and Pau Gasol just may have had the worst
playoff game of his life, going 1-for-10 and finishing with three measly
points. At least the Lakers are home for this deciding game, so let's see if
they can finally get a complete game from all of their contributors. This is a
spot where they can get away without a deep bench, as the starters can play
as long as need be with the teams now back at sea level.
The Nuggets sure enjoyed the meetings in Denver though, as for the second
time in this series, the Nuggets ran the Lakers out of the building early.
Unlike Game 3 however, when the Lakers actually came back to make things
interesting before Denver pulled away again late, LA showed no resistance this
time around, seemingly resigned to this fate of hosting a Game 7 early on. So
how ironic would it be if the Nuggets do the closing out given Bynum's
earlier comments? All trash talk aside, one would think that the Lakers still
have the advantage as they are 28-8 straight up in this building in 2012, and
it is almost a given that they will come out much more energized than the
last two games. Still, give Denver credit as they refused to back down here in
Game 5 and they executed their game plan of wearing down the Laker starters
in Game 6 in the altitude perfectly. Now, both teams can get to experience
just how "easy" close-out games are!
Denver has actually gone 4-1 against the spread in the last five games of
this series as it got a gift cover in Game 2 here at Staples, losing 104-100
as a 5 point dog where the last bucket to account for the final score was
the closest the Nuggets got all game. Also, the 'under' is still 22-8 in the
last 30 head-to-head meetings despite the last two games going 'over' the
total.
Pick: DENVER NUGGETTS +5.5
Denver Nuggets vs. Los Angeles Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers (44-28, 30-42 ATS) are not a team that is used to
being pushed to the brink in the opening round of the playoffs, but the Denver
Nuggets (41-31, 40-32 ATS) have done just that thanks to a blowout home win
in Game 6. The Lakers have advanced to the second round every year since
2007 while never facing a possible elimination game in the first round, but
they are facing one now as Game 7 of this series will take place on Saturday
night from the Staples Center in Los Angeles, CA at 10:30 ET, and it will be
televised on TNT.
Thus, Los Angeles gets a second and last chance to wrap up this series at
home, something that it failed to do in Game 5 in a 102-99 loss as a
six-point favorite where the Lakers were extremely lackadaisical until the last 4:00
or so. That was the game preceded by Andrew Bynum's already infamous
statement about close-out games being easy, a quote that the Nuggets no doubt had
plastered all over their bulletin board. The Lakers were then embarrassed
113-96 in Game 6 on Thursday, as a physically ill Kobe Bryant was still their
only starter to show up. Bryant was sick to his stomach and was forced to
take intravenous fluids all day long, but he did score 31 points. This time it
was Bryant's fellow stars that let Los Angeles down as the bench did do its
part, contributing a total of 27 points. However, the aforementioned Bynum
shot just 4-for-11 for 11 points and Pau Gasol just may have had the worst
playoff game of his life, going 1-for-10 and finishing with three measly
points. At least the Lakers are home for this deciding game, so let's see if
they can finally get a complete game from all of their contributors. This is a
spot where they can get away without a deep bench, as the starters can play
as long as need be with the teams now back at sea level.
The Nuggets sure enjoyed the meetings in Denver though, as for the second
time in this series, the Nuggets ran the Lakers out of the building early.
Unlike Game 3 however, when the Lakers actually came back to make things
interesting before Denver pulled away again late, LA showed no resistance this
time around, seemingly resigned to this fate of hosting a Game 7 early on. So
how ironic would it be if the Nuggets do the closing out given Bynum's
earlier comments? All trash talk aside, one would think that the Lakers still
have the advantage as they are 28-8 straight up in this building in 2012, and
it is almost a given that they will come out much more energized than the
last two games. Still, give Denver credit as they refused to back down here in
Game 5 and they executed their game plan of wearing down the Laker starters
in Game 6 in the altitude perfectly. Now, both teams can get to experience
just how "easy" close-out games are!
Denver has actually gone 4-1 against the spread in the last five games of
this series as it got a gift cover in Game 2 here at Staples, losing 104-100
as a 5 point dog where the last bucket to account for the final score was
the closest the Nuggets got all game. Also, the 'under' is still 22-8 in the
last 30 head-to-head meetings despite the last two games going 'over' the
total.
Pick: DENVER NUGGETTS +5.5
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