NBA picks: Lakers vs. Nuggets prediction, odds, over/under, spread, injury report for Tuesday, Oct. 24

The 2023-24 NBA season is officially here and a rematch of the Western Conference Finals kicks off Opening Night. The Los Angeles Lakers face the defending NBA champions Denver Nuggets from Ball Arena, and the game will air on TNT.

Jarred Vanderbilt (heel) is questionable for Los Angeles, while Gabe Vincent (back) remains probable for opening night. As for Denver, Michael Porter Jr. (ankle) is probable to play, while rookie Julian Strawther (ankle) is questionable to take the court.

The Nuggets are 5.5-point favorites and -218 on the moneyline, while the Lakers are +180 moneyline underdogs. The combined point total is 228, with odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook.

Lakers vs. Nuggets, 7:30 p.m. ET

Pick ATS: Nuggets -5.5

Denver proved reliable against the spread last season, boasting a 56-45-1 ATS record on the year. When at home, their mark was an even better at 31-20-1, while the Lakers were just 23-25-1 against the spread away from Crypto.com Arena. Given the back-and-forth between these teams in the offseason, it’s hard to pick against the Nuggets winning by a comfortable margin at home on ring night.

Over/Under: Under 228

The Nuggets ranked fifth in offensive rating last season (117.6), but it’s important to note the losses of Bruce Brown and Jeff Green in free agency. Denver could very well keep their offense humming, or those two departures could lead to a championship hangover effect, at least on opening night.

Los Angeles finished 20th in offensive rating last season and given that the Lakers aren’t known as a potent three-point shooting team, it’s hard to imagine them shooting the lights out in Denver. Take the under in what could be a physical game largely played in the paint.