NBA basketball betting odds have the Nuggets listed as 6.5-point favorites in this one.

Denver's success has led to big expectations for 2009-10. However, while several of the West’s contenders were making deals over the summer the Nuggets chose to stick with what they believe worked in 2008-09.

Denver is counting on another big season from Carmelo Anthony and Chauncey Billups. Billups will have had a full offseason to work with the Nuggets after joining them last November in a trade from Detroit.

Though Deron Williams and Mehmet Okur appear healthy, the Jazz are already being forced to deal with injuries again. Ronnie Brewer missed the team’s preseason finale with back spasms, and his status for the opener is uncertain.

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The Nuggets might very well be the better team in the Western Conference Finals, with a deeper bench than the Lakers. But they also tend to implode at the worst times.

If it were not for botched inbounds passes that cost them Games 1 and 3, the Nuggets would have had a chance at brooming the Lakers right out of the playoffs.

The Lakers finally discovered ways to get more balanced play, especially from their bigs in Game 5. Now they will be looking to close out on the road on Friday night, as 5.5-point underdogs.

The mild-mannered Gasol complained about only taking four shots in the second half of a 120-101 loss at Denver on Monday night that left the Western Conference Finals tied at two.

Gasol went 8 of 11 for 21 points in Game 4. He's shooting 62 percent in the series, but he had only four free throws in the fourth quarter Monday.

The Lakers' frontcourt of Gasol, Lamar Odom, and Andrew Bynum were no match for Denver's trio of Nene, Kenyon Martin, and Chris Andersen, who dominated the boards 42-25 in Game 4. What the 6-point favored Lakers really need is a dose of energy and effort tonight at Staples Center, where the Nuggets won Game 2. Get your NBA conference finals odds with Bodog now.

In their half-dozen blowouts at the Pepsi Center in these playoffs, the Nuggets had turned their crowd into a major factor by using their transition game, pull-up 3s, kick-outs and rim-rattling dunks to turn tight games into runaways and their arena into a jet engine.

Against Los Angeles, however, the 3-pointers rimmed out all night, allowing the Lakers to stick around long enough for Kobe Bryant to win it for them in the fourth quarter.

The 4.5-point underdog Lakers are 11-4 ATS in the last 15 meetings and the underdog is 4-1 ATS in the last five meetings between these clubs. Get all your NBA conference finals odds in the Bodog Sportsbook today.

It was Denver's first playoff win against Los Angeles since 1985, a span of 11 games, the second-longest postseason winning streak against one team in NBA history.

Game 2 came down to free throws. The Lakers were shaky in the fourth, making 9 of 14 from the line, while Denver was 29 of 37, with Billups hitting 13 of 16 and Carmelo Anthony 10 of 14.

Anthony twisted his ankle in the game, but he said he would be fine for Game 3 on Saturday in Denver. Bet on NBA basketball now.

The Nuggets have been chilling since Wednesday night, when they eliminated the Dallas Mavericks and advanced to the conference finals for the first time since 1985.

Denver backers just hope the rest doesn't lead to rust. The Nuggets have gone 1-10 against L.A. the last two seasons, including a four-game sweep in the first round of last year's playoffs. Los Angeles won the season series 3-1 this year.

The home team is 4-0 ATS in the last four meetings.

Watch the totals in this series. The big men on both sides like to run and score on the break.

Fans also got into shouting matches with Martin's mother, who had extra protection around her.

Chauncey Billups, who said his wife also got into a confrontation Monday night, acknowledged the Nuggets were worried about what was happening in the stands.

No NBA team has ever recovered from a 3-0 deficit to win a playoff series and no team has beaten Denver at the Pepsi Center since March 11. Get all your NBA playoff odds in the Bodog Sportsbook now.

The Denver Nuggets quickly went from two points down to one point ahead and a commanding 3-0 lead in this second-round series.

No NBA team has overcome a 3-0 deficit and the Mavs are unlikely to be the first considering they're also 0-7 against the Nuggets this season. Denver also is the only team to win in Dallas since mid-February, and the Nuggets have done it twice.

It's worth noting that Dallas has never been swept in a four-game series. And, this season, the Mavs have bounced back every time they've been counted out.

But the odds are slim considering the Nuggets are 10-1 ATS in the last 11 meetings and ready to close the series out. Get all your NBA playoff odds in the Bodog Sportsbook now.

There is also that issue where they can't seem to find a way to slow down the Denver Nuggets.

The Mavs better get it all together fast after losing both games at Denver to start the Western Conference semifinal series.

The Nuggets have been physical and fast in this series, outscoring the Mavericks 54-13 in fastbreak points so far.

Denver only led by three at the start of the fourth quarter in Game 2, then went on a 16-2 run before winning 117-105. That came after a 14-point Game 1 victory accomplished in similar fashion. The Nuggets are 6-1 this postseason with the wins by an average margin of 25 points. Get all your NBA playoff odds in the Bodog Sportsbook.

More importantly, it put the Nuggets ahead 3-1 in their best-of-seven series and on the verge of winning a playoff matchup for the first time since 1994. The last time they won a best-of-seven series was 1985.
The Nuggets stifled Chris Paul, whose four points and six assists amounted to one of the worst games of his career, with waves of double teams that induced a half-dozen turnovers.

Denver's biggest pitfall could be overconfidence, but after the beatdown they put on the Hornets it would be shocking if this series did not end tonight. Get your NBA playoff odds in the Bodog Sportsbook now.