Lakers vs. Nuggets Western Conference Finals Game 2 odds, trends: Bettors like Los Angeles to win outright, Anthony Davis taking huge action on points total Over

The Denver Nuggets likely have the best home-court advantage in the NBA given the altitude they play at. They are 7-0 at Ball Arena this postseason, although in a 132-126 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers in Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals didn't cover a 6.5-point spread. That number is currently 5.5 at BetMGM for Game 2 Thursday, and bettors again are on L.A. to cover and possibly win outright. There's also huge action on an Anthony Davis scoring prop. Click here for model picks.

Denver is 2-0 straight up and against the spread in Game 2s at home this postseason, beating Minnesota by nine in Round 1 and Phoenix by 10 in Round 2. The Lakers had been 2-0 in road Game 1s this postseason. They are 0-2 in road Game 2s, losing by 10 at Memphis and by 27 at Golden State.

As of this writing, the Lakers are taking 58% of the bets and 55% of the money. The total has risen a point to 226.5 after a high-scoring Game 1 with 72% of the bets and 78% of the money on the Over. Los Angeles, +170 on the money line, is taking 82% the of bets and 81% of the money.

The big takeaway from Game 1 was the defensive adjustment the Lakers made in the second half by pulling Anthony Davis off Nikola Jokic, who finished with yet another triple-double of 34 points, 21 rebounds, 14 assists. He had more rebounds personally in the first half than L.A. did as a team and the Lakers never got out of that halftime hole. Jokic is the first player to record multiple 30-point triple-doubles while shooting 70% from the field in NBA postseason history.

Jokic did struggle in the fourth quarter once Rui Hachimura took over the primary defensive assignment. That change allowed Davis to essentially play as a rover and secondary defender on the Denver big man. In the 55 Denver possessions for which Davis was the final defender on Jokic, the Nuggets averaged 1.45 points per play and shot 66% from the field. When it was Hachimura on Jokic, Denver averaged 0.67 points per play in 15 possessions and shot 20% from the field.

Not having to defend Jokic all the time should save Davis some energy for the offensive end, and the most lopsided player prop at the book tonight so far is Over 24.5 points for Davis at -120 with 99% of action on the Over. He had 40 in Game 1.

Other popular player props: Jamal Murray to score the first field goal (+600); Davis to score at least 20 points (-250); Austin Reaves Over 19.5 combined points and assists (-110); and LeBron James to record a triple-double (Yes +825).

Denver is up 1-0 in a best-of-seven series for the seventh time in franchise history and is 6-0 in the previous six but has never led 2-0 in a conference finals. On the updated series line, the Nuggets are -250 and Lakers are +200, with 64% of the money on Denver. 

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