The Denver Nuggets are on national television again to take on the Los Angeles Lakers. In the third and final rematch of the season between last year’s Western Conference runners-up, the Nuggets will attempt to complete the season sweep. The Lakers, meanwhile, are in a tough fight to qualify for the playoffs. Currently ranked tenth, the chances of avoiding play-in altogether could elude the Lakers, who trail three games behind the sixth-seeded New Orleans Pelicans, but the opportunity to have at least one game at home in the play-in. is still within reach. On the opposite end of the spectrum, the Nuggets continue to be in the thick of the battle for the top seed in the West.
The essentials
WHO: Denver Nuggets (41-19) against Los Angeles Lakers (33-28)
When: 6:30 p.m. MST
Or: Reddit Bro Investing Center Arena. Los Angeles, CA.
How to watch/listen: Denver Stiffs does not condone piracy…unless it’s a fictionalized 18th century hack. ABC. Altitude TV where available (Altitude TV is available on DirecTV, DirecTV Stream and Fubo TV). NBA League pass for those not in the Nuggets market. Altitude Radio 92.5. Show up in a Lakers jersey with James on the back but not the number 23 on the front and pretend you’re LeBron’s son, here for your free roster spot.
Rival blog: Silver screen and roller
The game
| Nuggets | Lakers | Advantage |
| Reggie Jackson | D’Angelo Russell | Lakers |
| Kentavious Caldwell-Pope | Austin Reaves | Even |
| Michael Porter Jr. | LeBron James | Lakers |
| Aaron Gordon | Rui Hachimura | Nuggets |
| Nikola Jokic | Anthony Davis | Nuggets |
| Christian Braun, Peyton Watson, Zeke Nnaji, Colin Gillespie | Spencer Dinwiddie, Taurus Prince, Jaxon Hayes, Max Christie, Cam Reddish | Even |
Injury Report: Jamal Murray – questionable (ankle), Kentavious Caldwell-Pope – questionable (personal), Braxton Key – out (personal), Vlatko Cancar – out (knee); Anthony Davis – probable (Achilles), Cam Reddish – probable (ankle), LeBron James – questionable (ankle), Colin Castleton – out (wrist), Jarred Vanderbilt – out (foot), Gabe Vincent – out (knee), Christian Wood – out (knee), Maxwell Lewis – out (G-League), Jalen Hood-Schifino – out (G-League).
The three things
The thing to watch out for: bench against bench
We know what the Nuggets can do against the Lakers’ starters, but the bench is where Los Angeles could gain some ground. The Nuggets usually shift Jamal Murray to the bench, but with Jamal questionable with his sprained ankle, he can’t play. If that happens, I expect Malone to not change the premise of his rotation and instead have Reggie Jackson falter with the bench. This approach has not yielded great results in the past. The Nuggets will need someone from that reserve unit to step up tonight regardless if Jamal plays, but if he doesn’t, getting solid contributions from the reserve will be key to getting the win.
What you must remember : The Nuggets can still ruin the night in Los Angeles
The Lakers’ opening night was a loss at the hands of the Nuggets, the Kobe Bryant statue unveiling night was a loss at the hands of the Nuggets. Tonight, LeBron James will become the first NBA player to eclipse 40,000 points if he plays, and the Nuggets can once again ensure that a big night in Los Angeles is punctuated by a Lakers loss. LeBron only needs nine points to reach the 40,000 mark, so it’s reasonable to assume he’ll do so fairly early in the game. It will be up to Los Angeles to stay focused on winning the game after LBJ hits the target, because as we’ve seen time and time again, it takes a complete 48-minute effort from the Lakers to have a chance of beat Denver.
The thing to bet on: Michael Porter Jr. on 2.5 threes (-125)
Jamal may or may not play, but even if he does, MPJ is playing very well right now. He’s been in tears since the All Star break, which is probably why the over/under on his three is -125. If Jamal doesn’t play, this bet will simply depend on how Mike shoots. Whether it’s LeBron or Rui Hachimura defending him, Mike will have the height advantage and I expect him to look to score often.
Stiff evening
SNO is tonight! Head to number thirty-eight in Rino to watch the game with all the Stiffs. We will be hosting giveaways throughout the evening and a live post-game podcast with myself, Ryan Blackburn and Swipa Cam. The game starts at 6:30 p.m., but seats will be on a first-come, first-served basis, so be sure to arrive a little early! I hope to see everyone this evening, don’t forget to come and introduce yourself!
