THE INSIDERS ROOM'S 10* TOTAL OF THE WEEK (HAD LAKERS IN GAME 1!)
(NBA) Denver vs. LA Lakers, 09/20/2020 7:30 PM, Score: 103 - 105
Total: 213.50 | -105.00 Under
Result: Win
This is a 10* TOTAL OF THE WEEK on the UNDER Nuggets/Lakers.

These teams looked evenly matched after the first quarter, but then LA clamped down defensively the rest of the way and pulled away down the stretch.

The Lakers will believe that they have the blue-print now to beat this Nuggets team, but Denver has been very resilient throughout the playoffs and adjustments from one game to the next are obviously necessary for success.

LA had lost the first game of its prior two series before then going on to win the next four, so the Lakers would have been very conscience of that fact and were out to push the pace in Game 1, as to take advantage of the tired Nuggets, who entered the WCF having played two straight seven game series and having two come back from 3-1 deficits each time.

Denver's only chance in this series is to take control themsevles, to try and dictate the tempo. Half court sets on offense and running everything through big man Nikola Jokic.

The last thing the Nuggets can afford to do is to turn this into a "Showtime Lakers" affair and expect to keep up.

Note as well that Denver has seen the total go UNDER the number in eight of its last 12 after losing by ten or more points in its previous outing.

I'm banking on a much more defensive affair in Game 2, the play is the UNDER!

Good luck, NP