Denver Nuggets Host Los Angeles Lakers

The Denver Nuggets (11-16) welcome the Los Angeles Lakers (4-23) to the Pepsi Center for a Tuesday night tilt as they try to snap a two-game skid at home.

The Denver Nuggets fell again on Sunday night to the New Orleans Pelicans in what was mostly a tightly contested game. The Nuggets were unable to contain Anthony Davis, who scorched them for 27 points on the night. The Pelicans have had a disappointing start to the season and one of the worst records in the league; yet the Denver Nuggets fell to them in spite of that.

Reserve Will Barton scored a career-high 32 points in the loss, while the Denver Nuggets also had 5 other players score in double figures. Against a Lakers team that is allowing the second most points per game in the league at 107.2, the Denver Nuggets have a great shot to rectify some of the issues that have plagued them over their past two contests. The Lakers offense is quite inept, scoring only 96.6 points per game, which is 26th in the association.

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The Los Angeles Lakers aren’t quite as dangerous as the Pelicans, but the Denver Nuggets should not ignore this game and the potential for another upset on their home floor. The Lakers are coming off a 40-point defeat at the hands of the Oklahoma City Thunder in a game where retiring legend Kobe Bryant sat out due to a sore shoulder. Los Angeles is 2-16 on the road this season, giving the Denver Nuggets a clear advantage on Tuesday night.

Bryant will return on Tuesday against the Denver Nuggets, and will undoubtedly garner a large crowd and farewell reception from the Denver faithful. Kobe Bryant is averaging 23.0 points in his last three games, and 16.7 PPG this season. Bryant leads Los Angeles in scoring thus far this season. The Lakers have a lot of young talent in DeAngelo Russell and Julius Randle, but this rebuild will take time, and their youth is exploitable.

The Denver Nuggets have a great shot on Tuesday to snap their 2-game losing streak and get back into the win column. The Los Angeles Lakers have lost by 27.7 points in their last four losses, meaning that teams are taking advantage of this young and rebuilding squad. The Nuggets beat the Lakers in their first meeting this season on November 3rd by a score of 120-109.

The Denver Nuggets’ defense has shown holes on the perimeter as of late, allowing teams to shoot over 43 percent from beyond the arc over their last four games. Against a team like the Lakers that have no issue with hoisting up shots, this is a weakness that the visitors can exploit. With players like Nick Young, Lou Williams and Kobe Bryant who are pure volume shooters, the Denver Nuggets must improve their defense, even against seemingly inferior opponents.

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The Denver Nuggets stand only 1.5 games out of the 8th and final playoff spot in the Western Conference after two consecutive defeats. The Utah Jazz hold that spot for the moment; but if anything so far into the regular season, the Denver Nuggets have shown a penchant for inconsistency. Losing streaks are common, as are small winning streaks. Consistency is key in order for this team to continue to compete in the playoff race. They have also struggled with injuries as of late, which has surely had an effect on them.

Rookie point guard Emmanuel Mudiay has not played in the Denver Nuggets’ last four games, and will likely sit out again on Tuesday. Jameer Nelson has played well in his stead, averaging 14.0 points per contest over his last five games. The Nuggets stand a great chance to halt their skid, but regardless of their opponent, they must not discount the Lakers ability to go on a run and score points quickly.

Next: Denver Nuggets Fall to Pelicans, 130-125

The Denver Nuggets and the Los Angeles Lakers tip off at 7:00 PM.

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