Lakers vs Nuggets Picks and Prediction – 2/23/2025

A Saturday night NBA on ABC primetime showdown will feature a battle between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Denver Nuggets from Ball Arena. For other NBA action see our NBA Predictions. The Lakers (33-21) have won seven of their previous ten games and trail Houston by a half-game for fourth place in the Western Conference standings. On Thursday, Los Angeles raced out to a 13-point lead after one quarter and cruised to a 110-102 road victory against Portland. 

All-Star F LeBron James poured in a game-high 40 points on 14-for-24 shooting and turned the ball over 11 times. Austin Reaves contributed 32 points (12-13 FT) and seven assists for the Lakers, who dominated the Trail Blazers on the glass by a 48-33 margin.

The Denver Nuggets are riding a nine-game winning streak and have surged into second place in the Western Conference standings. The Nuggets (37-19) rank second in the league in offensive efficiency and are averaging a shade below 122 points per contest. On Thursday, Denver outscored Charlotte by 11 points during the fourth quarter to pull away for a 129-115 home victory. 

Jamal Murray led five Denver players in double figures with 34 points on a 12-for-18 shooting performance. Three-time MVP Nikola Jokic contributed 29 points (11-22 FG), 17 rebounds, and nine assists. Aaron Gordon added 18 points and seven rebounds for the Nuggets, who connected on 19-for-43 from the three-point line.

Los Angeles G Luka Doncic (injury management) did not play during Thursday’s victory and is expected to play in this game. The Lakers rank 11th in the league in offensive efficiency and the Nuggets are playing at the fifth fastest tempo. Look for Jokic to dominate the interior and lead Denver to a home victory that goes over the total. Final Score Prediction, Denver Nuggets win 129-122.