Minnesota Timberwolves guard Mike Conley (10) is fouled, on a 3-point shot, by Los Angeles Lakers forward Anthony Davis (3) in the final second of regulation in an NBA basketball play-in tournament game Tuesday, April 11, 2023, in Los Angeles. Conley made three free throws to send the game into overtime. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
Los Angeles Lakers (43-39, seventh in the Western Conference) vs. Denver Nuggets (53-29, first in the Western Conference)
WESTERN CONFERENCE FINALS: Nuggets host first series matchup
BOTTOM LINE: The Denver Nuggets host the Los Angeles Lakers to begin the Western Conference finals. Denver and Los Angeles tied the regular season series 2-2. The Nuggets won the last regular season matchup 122-109 on Jan. 10. Jamal Murray led the Nuggets with 34 points, and Russell Westbrook led the Lakers with 25 points.
The Nuggets are 34-18 against Western Conference opponents. Denver ranks fourth in the Western Conference with 55.0 points per game in the paint led by Nikola Jokic averaging 18.5.
The Lakers are 27-25 in conference matchups. Los Angeles is 19-19 in games decided by 10 or more points.
TOP PERFORMERS: Jokic is shooting 63.2% and averaging 24.5 points for the Nuggets. Murray is averaging 2.8 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games for Denver.
Anthony Davis is averaging 25.9 points, 12.5 rebounds and two blocks for the Lakers. LeBron James is averaging 23.2 points, 9.7 rebounds and 5.6 assists over the past 10 games for Los Angeles.
LAST 10 GAMES: Nuggets: 7-3, averaging 116.5 points, 43.4 rebounds, 25.3 assists, 7.7 steals and 3.6 blocks per game while shooting 49.3% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 109.3 points per game.
Lakers: 7-3, averaging 112.8 points, 46.9 rebounds, 25.0 assists, 7.3 steals and 6.7 blocks per game while shooting 46.9% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 107.2 points.
Gabe Laques, MLB Editor & Reporter, USA Today Sports, joins Cheddar Bets to offer up his expert opinions on the start of baseball season.
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Baseball is as American as — Apple TV+. The National Pasttime has a new media partner this season, as the MLB will be streaming Friday night doubleheaders on the Apple streaming service. Noah Garden, the league's chief revenue officer, spoke to Cheddar News to break down the details of what's being offered in the new package and why Major League Baseball felt the need to make the move this year. "We've been in a situation where we've lost reach, even within the cable bundle. There are situations where people in the local market don't have access to watch their favorite team and their local team on top of that," he said. "You have cord cutters and even probably more importantly, cord nevers. So streaming offers of some ability to gain reach that we've lost over the the last couple of years, and Apple was really the perfect partner for us."
The 2022 Masters Tournament is slated to begin on Thursday, and one of golf's most iconic players is set to return to Augusta National, just 14 months after a devastating car accident. In a press conference, Tiger Woods told reporters that not only is he planning to play in the tournament, but that he also thinks he can win. Cam Rogers, national sports betting and golf analyst, and host of 'Lock It In'
for the Bleav Podcast Network, joins Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss.
Carsten Koerl, CEO of Sportradar, joins Cheddar News' Closing Bell, where he explains how his company is bolstering the platforms of sports betting and streaming networks, and discusses basketball legend and Sportradar investor Michael Jordan's role in helping the company grow.
Catching you up on what you need to know on April 4, 2022, with reports of Russian war crimes in Ukraine, a weekend shooting in Sacramento killing six and injuring 12, Mexico ending its gas subsidization for U.S. drivers, and the University of South Carolina winning the women's NCAA basketball championship, and more.
Between Bells EP Conor White recaps some of the biggest stories of the week, while Baker Machado and Hena Doba test their knowledge, and maybe learn a thing or two. It's This Week in Trivia!
David Salituro, MLB and PGA sportswriter for Fansided.com, joins Cheddar Bets to break down his favorite futures bets in the MLB and at The Masters.
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For the first time in the history of the storied men's college basketball rivalry between Duke University and the University of North Carolina, the two teams will be meeting directly in the NCAA tournament — and in the Final Four! Sean Green, the co-founder of the Sports Gambling Podcast Network, joined Cheddar to give his take on the possible final game of legendary Duke coach, Mike Krzyzewski. "Now, if you recall, UNC actually beat Duke in Coach K's final home regular-season game, so revenge is going to be on the mind of Duke in this Final Four game, and I think they have the best of UNC. I like them laying four points," Green said. He also picked Villanova with an upset win over Kansas.
