The Denver Nuggets head to Crypto.com Arena on Saturday night to face the Los Angeles Lakers at 8:30 p.m. ET. Both teams enter the matchup on winning streaks, looking to maintain momentum down the playoff stretch.
Denver has won its last two games, defeating the San Antonio Spurs 136-131 on March 12 and beating the Houston Rockets 129-93 on March 11. The Nuggets sit fifth in the Western Conference with a 41-26 record.
Los Angeles also comes in strong, posting wins over the Chicago Bulls 142-130 and the Minnesota Timberwolves 120-106. The Lakers hold fourth place in the West at 41-25, seeking to solidify their seeding.
The two teams split earlier meetings this season. The Lakers won 115-107 in Denver on January 20, while Denver returned the favor with a 120-113 victory in Los Angeles on March 5.
Denver’s injury report shows Jamal Murray and Aaron Gordon as probable. Murray has averaged 25.7 points, 7.1 assists and 4.3 rebounds this season, while Gordon contributes 16.6 points and 6.1 rebounds per game.
Peyton Watson is out with a right hamstring strain, and DaRon Holmes II, Curtis Jones and KJ Simpson are unavailable due to G League assignments.
Despite these absences, Nikola Jokic continues to anchor the Nuggets, posting 28.7 points, 12.7 rebounds and 10.4 assists per game.
Los Angeles lists Jaxson Hayes as probable with back soreness. He provides 7.0 points and 4.0 rebounds per game while offering rim protection. Maxi Kleber is out with a lumbar back strain, limiting depth in the frontcourt.
The Lakers’ offense is led by Luka Doncic, who averages 32.9 points, 8.5 assists and 7.9 rebounds. Austin Reaves adds 23.9 points and 5.5 assists per contest, while LeBron James contributes 21.4 points, 7.0 assists and 5.7 rebounds.
