Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets have been figuring out how to win games without a full rotation, and for the Los Angeles Lakers, winning isn’t all that important this year!
The Nuggets and Lakers face off in Los Angeles on Friday night, a game that will be hugely important for both teams given the current gap in the Western Conference standings.
Jokic once again dominated the Nuggets’ offense, entering the game after posting 43 points, 14 rebounds and eight assists against the Washington Wizards on Wednesday.
Jamal Murray is starting to look like the Jamal Murray of the past as he continues to recover from an ACL injury that kept him sidelined last year, and the Nuggets’ depth has been difficult to conquer.
For the Lakers, their depth is the complete opposite. They know what to expect from LeBron James and Anthony Davis on a nightly basis, but the rest of the guys on this roster are wild cards that haven’t worked out so well for Los Angeles so far.
The good news for the Lakers, though, is that they’ve played the Nuggets twice this season, and in the final matchup between these two teams, the Lakers won at home.
Can Los Angeles win two straight games against the Nuggets, or can Denver win a fourth straight?
Here’s how to watch Friday night’s action, including game times and TV, lineups, bios and other must-know details.
How to watch the Nuggets vs. 76ers game
- WHO: Denver Nuggets (17-10) vs. Los Angeles Lakers (11-16)
- when: Friday, December 16, 2022 at 10:00pm ET
- Where: crypto.com Arena, Los Angeles, CA
- television: ESPN
- Live: Fubo.tv Click here
Key Nuggets vs. Lakers stats and facts
- The Denver Nuggets beat the Washington Wizards 141-128 at home.
- The Los Angeles Lakers lost to the Boston Celtics 122-118 in overtime at home.
- The Nuggets are 9-7 on the road this season, and the Lakers are 6-7 at home.
- The Lakers are one of the league’s best free throw shooters, as they rank first in free throws made (20.9) and second in free throw attempts per game (26.1).
- The first two meetings between Denver and Los Angeles this season were evenly split, as both teams won at home.
Last match:
October 30, 2022 – Lakers 121, Nuggets 110
The Lakers were able to beat the Nuggets in Los Angeles as LeBron James, Anthony Davis and Russell Westbrook combined for 67 points. Davis had a game-high 15 rebounds as the Lakers beat Denver 51-48. Nikola Jokic had 23 points, 14 rebounds and six assists for Denver, and Jamal Murray had 21 points.
Latest injury news:
Nuggets: Michael Porter Jr. (heel) – Out
Lakers: Wenyen Gabriel (shoulder) – out, Juan Toscano-Anderson (ankle) – out, LeBron James (ankle) – possible, Anthony Davis (back) – likely
Estimated starting:
Expected Nuggets to start:
- Jamal Murray6-3 guard: 17.7 points, 3.7 rebounds, 5.1 assists
- G Kentavious Caldwell-Pope6-5 guard: 11.0 points, 3.1 rebounds
- G/F Bruce Brown6-4 guard/forward: 11.0 points, 4.4 rebounds, 4.3 assists
- F Aaron Gordon6-8 forward: 16.9 points, 6.4 rebounds
- C Nikola Jokic6-11 center: 24.6 points, 10.3 rebounds, 9.0 assists
Expected Lakers starters:
- G Patrick Beverley6-1 guard: 4.6 points, 3.7 rebounds
- G Dennis Schroeder6-3 guard: 8.3 points, 3.5 assists
- G Lonny Walker IV6-4 guard: 15.7 points, 2.3 rebounds
- LeBron James6-9 forward: 26.5 points, 8.6 rebounds, 6.5 assists
- C Anthony Davis6-10 center: 28.4 points, 12.1 rebounds
Betting Odds:
- The Nuggets currently lead the Lakers by one point as of Friday morning, according to SI Sportsbook.
- The total over/under for this game is currently set at 236.5 points.
What to pay attention to:
- The Nuggets currently rank second in the league in offensive efficiency and 28th in defensive efficiency.
- The Lakers currently rank 23rd in the league in offensive efficiency and 14th in defensive efficiency.
- Los Angeles is 112-75 against Denver.
- The Nuggets are currently averaging 116.0 points per game this season, ranking sixth in the league, and the Lakers are averaging 116.6 points per game, ranking 25th in the league.
Be sure to catch the latest episode Fast Break Podcast Hosted by Fastbreak himself Brett Siegel!
streaming apple podcasts and spotify music, Fast Break Podcast Takes you inside the league with the latest news, intel, rumors and interviews from close quarters on all 30 teams. Keep an eye out for new episodes every Friday.
