2023 NBA Western Conference Finals betting odds

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The last four teams in the NBA will be in Denver on Tuesday evening.

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At the West Finals, the Nuggets are considered the narrow betting favorites to reach the NBA Finals for the first time in franchise history, but to get there they will need to beat a quality LA Lakers team.

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Here you will find everything you need to know about betting NBA Western Conference 2023 Finals.

Western Conference Finals

Game 1, May 16: Los Angeles at Denver, 8:30 p.m. ET

Game 2, May 18: Los Angeles at Denver, 8:30 p.m. ET

Game 3, May 20: Denver at Los Angeles, 8:30 p.m. ET

Game 4, May 22: Denver at Los Angeles, 8:30 p.m. ET

Game 5, May 24: Los Angeles at Denver, 8:30 p.m. ET *If necessary

Game 6, May 26: Denver at Los Angeles, 8:30 p.m. ET *If necessary

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Game 7, May 28: Los Angeles at Denver, 8:30 p.m. ET *If necessary

season series: Draw 2-2 (home team won all four games)

Denver Nuggets

The Nuggets rolled past Phoenix in six games and agreed a date with the Lakers Western Conference Finals for the second time since the 2020 NBA playoff bubble.

The home field advantage was huge for Denver. The Nuggets have posted an NBA-best 40-7 at home this season, including a perfect 6-0 in the playoffs.

Two-time league MVP Nikola Jokic continues to be the driving force for Denver. Jokic dominated the first two rounds of the playoffs, becoming the first player in NBA history to average at least 30.7 points, 12.8 rebounds and 9.7 assists in the postseason. In the last series against Phoenix, he averaged a triple-double with 34.5 points, 13.2 rebounds and 10.3 assists per game.

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If Jokic can continue to hover around the triple-double mark, that bodes well for the Nuggets. His 29 triple-doubles during the regular season nearly doubled that of the next closest player, with Denver going 27-2 in those games.

An important duel in the West final will be Jokic against Anthony Davis from LA. With Davis protecting him, Jokic shot 64 percent of the field in three regular-season matches this year, which is right on par with his overall field goal percentage of 63.2 throughout the season.

Watch for Jokic to use his power advantage to control the post against Davis and create pathways for easy layups. Jokic is also an elite shooter, hitting 61 percent of his middle-range shots and 38 percent of his three-pointers in the regular season.

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Beyond the Jokic vs Davis fight, Denver’s X factor could be Michael Porter Jr. Porter was never known as a great defender, but he looked a lot better against Phoenix.

Porter’s primary value is the secondary offense he provides. If the Lakers are forced to double-cover Jokic, it opens up plenty of room for Porter and should get him some open looks from off the arc.

Porter shot 41 percent from three-point range during the regular season, so it wouldn’t be surprising if he consistently hit five or six three-pointers a game this series.

The best bet on the Denver Nuggets: The series lasts seven games (+160)

Los Angeles Lakers

LA defeated the defending champions Golden State in six games, setting up a duel against Denver west finals. The Lakers defeated the Nuggets in five games in 2020 and were on their way to winning the franchise’s final NBA title.

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In this series, the story takes place on the LA side. The Lakers and the Nuggets met seven times in the postseason, with LA winning every series.

LeBron James continues to be the biggest part of this Lakers team. He averaged 28.9 points per game during the regular season and averaged 23.4 points, 10 rebounds, 5.3 assists and 1.3 blocks in the postseason.

Besides James, the most important thing for LA is Anthony Davis and how he handles the match against Jokic.

Davis’ offense hasn’t been as consistent as LA probably would like, but he’s been one of the best defensemen in the playoffs this year and that’s what the Lakers need from him to continue winning. He’s not as tall as Jokic, but he’s faster and can use his speed instead of his size to pass Jokic.

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Davis shot 62.5 percent from the field with Jokic protecting him in three regular-season games this year. Part of that success is due to his ability to knock Jokic to the ground in transition.

Davis also had a lot of success in the regular season, passing Jokic and either passing him or using a soft floater to get through.

LA’s X-Factor could also be D’Angelo Russell, who hit 40 percent of his long-range shots during the regular season. He had success against Denver this year, hitting 58 percent of his shots against the Nuggets.

If Russell can produce some solid offensive performances, it could get the momentum going towards the Lakers.

Best bid: LA Lakers win streak (+124)

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