By Harshit
DENVER, JANUARY 20, 2026 — The Los Angeles Lakers travel to Colorado on Tuesday night to face the Denver Nuggets at Ball Arena, opening their regular-season series in a matchup heavily shaped by injuries and player-prop intrigue.
With Nikola Jokić ruled out and multiple rotation players listed as questionable, oddsmakers have shifted focus toward Luka Dončić, LeBron James, Jamal Murray, and Deandre Ayton as the primary drivers of both the point spread and prop markets.
Game Information
- Date: Tuesday, January 21, 2026
- Time: 10:00 p.m. ET
- TV: NBC / Peacock, ALT, SportsNet LA
- Streaming: Fubo, Peacock
- Location: Denver, Colorado
- Venue: Ball Arena
Lakers vs Nuggets Odds (DraftKings)
- Lakers: -2.5 (-110)
- Nuggets: +2.5 (-110)
- Over/Under: 227.5
- Over: -112
- Under: -108
Los Angeles opens as a slight road favorite despite Denver’s strong home record, largely due to Jokić’s absence and the Lakers’ recent improvement with Dončić and James sharing the floor.
Key Injuries
Lakers
- Austin Reaves (calf) – OUT
- Adou Thiero (knee) – OUT
Nuggets
- Nikola Jokić (knee) – OUT
- Christian Braun (ankle) – OUT
- Cameron Johnson (knee) – OUT
- Jonas Valančiūnas (calf) – OUT
- Jamal Murray (knee) – Probable
- Aaron Gordon (hamstring) – Probable
Lakers Player Props to Watch
Luka Dončić
- Points: 32.5 (+105 over)
- Rebounds: 6.5 (-143 over)
- Assists: 8.5 (-115 over)
- 3-Pointers Made: 3.5 (+105 over)
Betting Insight:
Dončić is averaging 33.3 PPG, 7.5 RPG, and 8.6 APG, putting him slightly above his listed props in every major category. Against a Nuggets defense missing its anchor, the points over 32.5 remains the most attractive angle, particularly given Dončić’s tendency to attack early.
Deandre Ayton
- Points: 12.5 (-133 over)
- Rebounds: 8.5 (-139 over)
- Assists: 0.5 (-189 over)
Betting Insight:
Ayton is averaging 14.2 points and 8.8 rebounds, and just posted a 25-point, 13-rebound performance against Toronto. With Denver likely using smaller lineups, Ayton rebounds over 8.5 stands out as one of the safest plays on the board.
Nuggets Player Props to Watch
Jamal Murray
- Points: 27.5 (-105 over)
- Rebounds: 4.5 (-105 over)
- Assists: 8.5 (-105 over)
- 3-Pointers Made: 3.5 (+130 over)
Betting Insight:
Murray has averaged 27.4 PPG over his last 10 games, but his season assist average (7.3) falls well below the 8.5 line. The assists under 8.5 is a viable contrarian play, especially against a Lakers defense designed to limit dribble penetration.
Betting Trends
- Nuggets: 12–7 at home
- Lakers: 13–8 on the road
- Nuggets: 25–18 ATS overall
- Lakers: 22–19 ATS overall
- Total has gone OVER in 4 of Lakers’ last 5 games
- Total has gone UNDER in 5 of Denver’s last 7 home games
These conflicting trends place added importance on pace. Without Jokić, Denver has played slower and relied more heavily on isolation scoring from Murray.
Keys to the Matchup
The absence of Nikola Jokić fundamentally reshapes Denver’s offense and defensive rebounding. Los Angeles exploited similar situations recently, and Ayton’s interior advantage should again be decisive.
For Denver, Murray’s scoring and Aaron Gordon’s availability are critical. The Nuggets have surprisingly gone 7–4 without Jokić this season, but those wins often required exceptional guard play and high shot efficiency.
Los Angeles, meanwhile, is still adjusting without Austin Reaves, but the Dončić–LeBron pairing has stabilized the offense. Expect Dončić to dictate tempo early, while LeBron focuses on playmaking and defensive communication.
Lakers vs Nuggets Prediction & Best Bet
Denver may start strong at home, but over four quarters, the Lakers’ size, rebounding edge, and star shot creation should prevail.
Best Bets
- Lakers -2.5
- Luka Dončić over 32.5 points
- Deandre Ayton over 8.5 rebounds
Final Pick: Los Angeles Lakers -2.5