NFL Show
Denver Nuggets (17-10) vs. Los Angeles Lakers (11-16)
After splitting their first two encounters in 2022-23, the Denver Nuggets and Los Angeles Lakers continue their four-game regular-season series Friday, December 16, with the tip-off at 10:00 PM ET. The Nuggets head to Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles as small 1.5-point favorites, while the totals are listed at 239.5 points.
Denver misses Michael Porter Jr., who’s been sidelined since November 23 due to a heel injury. On the other side, the Lakers are without Juan Toscano-Anderson (ankle) and Wenyen Gabriel (shoulder), but all their important players are ready to go.
After losing three straight contests against Atlanta 117-109, New Orleans 121-106, and Dallas 116-115, the Denver Nuggets (17-10; 12-15 ATS) have won three in a row over Portland 121-120, Utah 115-110, and Washington 141-128. Last Wednesday, the Nuggets had no trouble beating the injury-depleted Wizards while covering an 11.5-point spread in front of the home fans.
Denver made 65.1% of its field goals versus Washington. The Nuggets went just 4-for-16 from beyond the arc and accounted for a staggering 98 points in the paint. Nikola Jokic had 43 points on 17-for-20 shooting from the field, and Bones Hyland added 23 points off the bench. However, the Nuggets allowed a whopping 40 assists to the Wizards, who shot 52.7% from the field and 48.7% from downtown (19-for-39).
“Guy is a back-to-back MVP winner for a reason,” Nuggets head coach Michael Malone said of Nikola Jokic. “He is really good…He is just a great player and I am thrilled to coach him. It is a privilege.”
We need to have a discussion on Joker… pic.twitter.com/qkQw9nqiMQ
— Denver Nuggets (@nuggets) December 15, 2022
The Nuggets boast the second-highest offensive rating in the NBA, notching 117.2 points per 100 possessions. They are first in field goal percentage (50.8%) and tied with Boston for the best 3-point percentage in the league (39.1%). On the flip side, Denver’s defense has been awful thus far. The Nuggets allow 115.6 points per 100 possessions (28th in the NBA) on 48.9% shooting from the field (29th) and 37.0% from beyond the 3-point line (tied-24th).
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