Overview
- Tipoff is 10:00 p.m. ET at Ball Arena with coverage on NBC and streaming on Peacock.
- The Nuggets will be without Nikola Jokić (knee) and Jonas Valančiūnas (right calf), with Jamal Murray and Aaron Gordon listed as probable and several rotation players still out.
- The Lakers list only Austin Reaves (left calf strain) and rookie Adou Thiero (MCL sprain) as out, and LeBron James is available.
- Deandre Ayton enters after a 25-point, 13-rebound, 10-for-10 outing against Toronto and faces an undersized Denver front line.
- Sportsbooks have Los Angeles as a slight road favorite (around -1.5 to -2.5) with a total near 227.5–228.5, as Denver carries a 29–14 mark and L.A. sits 25–16.