- Nikola Jokic’s Nuggets are 4-point favorites over the Lakers in the NBA season opener
- Phoenix is a 1-point road underdog in Golden State in Tuesday’s late game
- The early game tips off from Ball Arena in Denver, CO at 7:30pm ET on TNT
Denver will raise its championship banner to the rafters before hosting Los Angeles on Tuesday night. The Nuggets swept LeBron James’ Lakers in last year’s Western Conference final, going 16-4 in the postseason to win their first title in franchise history.
Will Nikola Jokic and company get off to a strong start on Tuesday night? Before we check the odds on the season opener and the Warriors vs Suns late game, be sure to check out the 2023-24 NBA MVP Betting Odds and our guide to betting on NBA basketball.
Nuggets vs Lakers
 |
Spread | Money Line | Total Points |
| Los Angeles Lakers | +4 (-105) | +165 | Ov 227½ (-110) |
| Denver Nuggets | -4 (-115) | -190 | Un 227½ (-110) |
Denver favored in season opener
Denver is a 4-point home favorite on Tuesday night and the over-under is set at 227.5 points. Michael Malone’s club swept the Lakers last May, winning the four contests by an average of 6 points. Two of the four games exceeded the 227.5 total, while two fell under.
The Nuggets are +275 favorites to win the Western Conference, but their odds of winning their second-consecutive title (+550) sit behind both Boston and Milwaukee – who are at +400. Nikola Jokic is also +425 chalk to capture his third NBA MVP award in four seasons. Meanwhile, Los Angeles has +550 odds to win the West and +950 odds to claim LeBron James’ fifth championship.
The 2x #KiaMVP won his first championship and proved the doubters wrong 😤
Get an inside look at Nikola Jokic’s second-half surge and Michael Malone’s coaching journey on a new episode of ‘Bring it Home’ only in the NBA App!
📲: https://t.co/7NJLLOP0Me pic.twitter.com/wbdClLe5YX
— NBA (@NBA) October 20, 2023
Best Bet
While Denver had a relatively quiet offseason, they only lost veteran Bruce Brown off their championship roster and Christian Braun should step into those minutes. Meanwhile, the Purple & Gold re-signed Austin Reaves and added some depth (Christian Wood, Taurean Prince, Gabe Vincent), but their team still runs through LeBron and Anthony Davis.
‘We can’t wait [to play them again],” chimed Davis, citing all of the offseason trash talk following the sweep. Revenge is on the Lakers’ minds. However, the Nuggets have the superior roster and finished 34-7 at Ball Arena in 2022-23, covering over 60% of the time. We’ll take Denver +4 with the under 227.5 points.
Warriors vs Suns
|
Spread | Money Line | Total Points |
| Phoenix Suns | +1 (-112) | -105 | Ov 232 (-115) |
| Golden State Warriors | -1 (-108) | -115 | Un 232 (-105) |
Curry always cooks at home
Phoenix is a 1-point road underdog in Tuesday’s late game and the over/under is set at 232 points. The Suns took three of four meetings with Steve Kerr’s club last season and sit just behind Denver with +300 odds to capture the Western Conference.
While the Warriors are +700 longshots to reach the NBA Finals, oddsmakers always show Steph Curry respect on his home floor. GSW was 37-10 at the Chase Center in 2022-23, covering 65% of the time – the best mark in the NBA.
Highest-paid players in 2023 according to @Forbes
1. LeBron James – $117.6M
2. Steph Curry – $101.9M
3. Kevin Durant – $91.4M
4. Giannis Antetokounmpo – $85.6M
5. Damian Lillard – $63.6M pic.twitter.com/PPNZTNWpSF— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) October 21, 2023
Best Bet
Kevin Durant hasn’t played more than 55 games in a season since 2020 – but the Hall of Famer is healthy now. With Bradley Beal added to a dynamite trio with KD and Devin Booker, and a new defensive-first head coach in Frank Vogel, the Suns could be poised for a hot start.
While Golden State has been incredible at home throughout their dynasty, Draymond Green will miss the start of the season with an ankle injury. Chris Paul will be out for revenge against his former team, but at 38, it’s fair to wonder what he’s got left in the tank. We’ll take the Phoenix money line at -105 with the OVER 232 points.
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