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The Nuggets perimeter defense has suffered with Aaron Gordon on the shelf, and that could open the door for an improving Wizards squad.

The Los Angeles Lakers (40-24) and Denver Nuggets (42-24) are all set to square off from Ball Arena in Denver. The Lakers had a challenging game last night against the Milwaukee Bucks. They were down big for much of the game and couldn’t generate offense outside of Luca Doncic.

Hometown kid Dalton Knecht helped out the Lakers with 32 points in a starting role. The Nuggets couldn’t defend, but they found enough buckets in the end.

Fortunately, with the game on the line, Nikola Jokic set a massive (moving?) screen, taking out two defenders, which opened the door for Jamal Murray to save the day for the Nuggets. It was an ugly win for the Nuggets,

Denver struggled against a depleted Lakers team, and coach Michael Malone has to walk a fine line between urgency and rest.

Luka Doncic didn't play in the Lakers' 131-126 loss at Denver Friday night, joining LeBron James on the team's lengthy list of unavailable players

Los Angeles Lakers star point guard Luka Doncic will sit out Friday's road game against the Denver Nuggets with a sprained right ankle and his lingering left calf ailment.