Throughout this NBA season, we’ve repeatedly seen the Nuggets struggle on the defensive side of the ball. They currently give up a league-worst average of 29.1 assists per game, highlighting their difficulties in limiting ball movement and opponent playmaking, along with this, The Nuggets also allow the fourth-most assists per game to opposing point guards, averaging 9.65 assists per contest.
The Lakers will be playing without LeBron James and Luka Doncic tonight, leaving Austin Reaves to shoulder the primary responsibilities as the team’s main ball-handler and distributor. With Reaves at the helm, I think the Lakers will heavily rely on his ability to create scoring opportunities for teammates. The Nuggets’ defensive vulnerabilities, especially in allowing high assist totals, put Reaves in a good spot to clear his assists line of 6.5 tonight.
And for these reasons, Reaves’ assist line tonight feels low to me and I think provides a lot of value here at plus money. Expect Austin Reaves to step up and play a pivotal role as he runs the Lakers’ offense tonight.
Bet: Austin Reaves over 6.5 assists (+117 on BetRivers)
