Nuggets draw more action after Kobe and Co. stumble
A short time ago, it seemed Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers were destined to waltz into the NBA Finals. A couple of missteps later, the Lakers are looking wobbly.
It's no longer a foregone conclusion that Bryant will meet LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers for the championship.
The Cavaliers are 8-1 favorites against the Orlando Magic in the Eastern Conference finals. There appears to be more drama waiting in the West, where the Lakers are minus-275 favorites over the Denver Nuggets.
"The Lakers are struggling, so you've got a pretty intriguing series coming up. I don't think a lot of people expected this, including myself," Las Vegas Hilton sports book director Jay Kornegay said.
"All of a sudden, everybody got off the Lakers' bandwagon, and that train was loaded at the beginning of the playoffs. After a couple of bad losses by the Lakers, the Nuggets are getting some play, and I think deservedly so."
The Lakers are 61/2-point favorites over the Nuggets in today's series opener in Los Angeles. The total is 215.
As recently as 10 days ago, Kornegay said he projected the Lakers would be about 5-1 favorites in the West finals. But the odds dropped as Los Angeles was blown out in two road games by the Houston Rockets and needed seven games to advance.
Denver is 8-2 straight up and 9-0-1 against the spread in the playoffs.
"As oddsmakers, we have to make that adjustment because the two teams are going in opposite directions," Kornegay said. "Some people I've talked to said the Lakers are undervalued, but they have not necessarily backed that up with their money.
"The Lakers don't lose a game at home and get blown out on the road unless there are some issues there. The Nuggets have looked pretty impressive."
The Nuggets' history with the Lakers is unimpressive. Denver is 1-10 against Los Angeles the past two seasons, including a four-game sweep in the first round of last year's playoffs.
But the addition of veteran point guard Chauncey Billups has made the Nuggets much more dangerous this season. Billups is a proven winner, and his influence is being credited for the improved play of Carmelo Anthony and J.R. Smith.
"I think the Nuggets have a legitimate shot of beating the Lakers," Vegas Insider handicapper Mark Franco said. "For the Nuggets to be that big of an underdog at plus-235, to me that has real value."
Franco (francosports.com) said the Lakers' "lapses on defense" are troubling and uncharacteristic signs of a Phil Jackson-coached team.
When the series switches to Denver, the Lakers could be slight underdogs. The Nuggets have won 16 straight at home.
"If the Nuggets continue to make 3-point shots like they did in the first two rounds, it's going to be a tough series and probably go down to the wire," Kornegay said.
In the East finals, the Cavs are 9-point home favorites over the Magic in Wednesday's opener. The total is 185.
Cleveland has won all eight playoff games by double digits, with James averaging 32.9 points.
Contact reporter Matt Youmans at myoumans@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2907.
