Post a Free Blog

Submit A Press Release

Generic selectors
Exact matches only
Search in title
Search in content
Post Type Selectors
Filter by Categories
Action
Animation
ATP Tour (ATP)
Auto Racing
Baseball
Basketball
Boxing
Breaking News
Business
Business
Business Newsletter
Call of Duty (CALLOFDUTY)
Canadian Football League (CFL)
Car
Celebrity
Champions Tour (CHAMP)
Comedy
CONCACAF
Counter Strike Global Offensive (CSGO)
Crime
Dark Comedy
Defense of the Ancients (DOTA)
Documentary and Foreign
Drama
eSports
European Tour (EPGA)
Fashion
FIFA
FIFA Women’s World Cup (WWC)
FIFA World Cup (FIFA)
Fighting
Football
Formula 1 (F1)
Fortnite
Golf
Health
Hockey
Horror
IndyCar Series (INDY)
International Friendly (FRIENDLY)
Kids & Family
League of Legends (LOL)
LPGA
Madden
Major League Baseball (MLB)
Mixed Martial Arts (MMA)
MLS
Movie and Music
Movie Trailers
Music
Mystery
NASCAR Cup Series (NAS)
National Basketball Association (NBA)
National Football League (NFL)
National Hockey League (NHL)
National Women's Soccer (NWSL)
NBA Development League (NBAGL)
NBA2K
NCAA Baseball (NCAABBL)
NCAA Basketball (NCAAB)
NCAA Football (NCAAF)
NCAA Hockey (NCAAH)
Olympic Mens (OLYHKYM)
Other
Other Sports
Overwatch
PGA
Politics
Premier League (PREM)
Romance
Sci-Fi
Science
Soccer
Sports
Sports
Technology
Tennis
Thriller
Truck Series (TRUCK)
True Crime
Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC)
US
Valorant
Western
Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA)
Women’s NCAA Basketball (WNCAAB)
World
World Cup Qualifier (WORLDCUP)
WTA Tour (WTA)
Xfinity (XFT)
XFL
0
-- Advertisement --spot_img
HomeSportsBasketballNuggets bringing healthier bunch to Lakers showdown

Nuggets bringing healthier bunch to Lakers showdown

Add to Favorite
Added to Favorite


While both the Denver Nuggets and Los Angeles Lakers won their most recent games with impact players missing, only one is expected to have its stars back when the teams meet Wednesday in Los Angeles.

The Lakers still are expected to be without LeBron James (groin) and Rui Hachimura (knee), but the Nuggets are likely to have Nikola Jokic (ankle, elbow) and Jamal Murray (ankle) on the court.

Both Denver stars sat out on Monday against the Golden State Warriors, as did Christian Braun (foot), and the Nuggets still pulled off a 114-105 road victory over one of the NBA’s hottest teams.

While the debate rages on whether the Nuggets should have rested so much firepower for a nationally televised game, Nuggets head coach Michael Malone found a lot to like about the performance.

“You don’t have the three-time MVP, who’s (scoring) 30 points a night. You don’t have Jamal Murray, who’s 20 points a night. You don’t have (Braun), who’s the No. 1 transition player in the league,” Malone said. “Well, that means we’ve got to play hard, we’ve got to play desperate, we’ve got to play urgent, and we did that for 48 minutes. Our guys left it all on the court.”

The Nuggets (44-25) share second place in the Western Conference, but have just a one-game lead on the Lakers (42-25). Denver has wobbled of late — going 3-3 since March 9 — while earning a 131-126 home victory over the Lakers on Friday.

Jokic scored 28 points with seven rebounds in the victory over Los Angeles, while Aaron Gordon stepped up with 38 points in Monday’s victory over the Warriors.

The Lakers not only were without James and Hachimura at Denver last week, Luka Doncic sat out with calf and ankle soreness and big man Jaxson Hayes (knee) did not play.

Austin Reaves scored 30 points, Doncic had 21 and Hayes chipped in nine points with 11 rebounds as the Lakers earned a 125-109 home victory over the San Antonio Spurs on Monday. Los Angeles was in control throughout against the short-handed Spurs and led by as many as 28.

“I think it was 48 (3-point attempts) and 34 were uncontested,” Lakers head coach JJ Redick said. “… Our offensive decision-making and consistency where we had four really good offensive quarters was great.”

Doncic found ways to contribute, even as his shooting touch has yet to fully return after a long layoff from a Christmas Day calf injury. The Lakers’ trade-deadline addition was just 5-of-20 shooting — including 1 of 7 from 3-point range — but made an additional impact with 14 assists and nine rebounds to nearly have a triple-double.

“People start learning that at some point in the game, they’re going to double-team me,” Doncic said. “I accept that, and I like playing that. It saves my energy. We just get to play four on three. Guys are doing great out of that.”

Denver has a 2-1 lead over Los Angeles heading into the final game of the season series. Counting playoff games, the Nuggets have won 14 of 16 matchups with the Lakers going back to January 2023.

–Field Level Media

Subscribe to get Latest News Updates

Latest News

You may like more
more

Keeshawn Barthelemy, Oregon keeping Liberty in sight

Oregon and Liberty have never met on the basketball...

After ‘heavy year,’ reigning champ UConn takes aim at Oklahoma

RALEIGH, N.C. -- UConn openly embraces the opportunity for...

Trey Townsend, Arizona keeping guard up vs. Akron

Trey Townsend is the perfect player to alert his...

Shuffling from underdog to favorite, Florida ready for Norfolk State

RALEIGH, N.C. -- Florida coach Todd Golden said his...