Here is what you need to know before the Lakers host the Denver Nuggets.
1)
The Lakers will once again tribute their 1987 championship team by wearing throwback uniforms from the Showtime era. Thirty years ago, that squad began its title run by sweeping the Nuggets in the opening round.
2)
It was a busy weekend for Ivica Zubac, who played three games in two days for both the Lakers and Los Angeles D-Fenders. On Saturday, Zubac played the final minutes of the Lakers’ loss to the Clippers and then dropped 20 points and 10 rebounds in the D-League that night. Then, on Sunday, he stepped in for an injured Tarik Black and performed well, providing four points, five rebounds and two blocks in nine minutes.
3)
The Lakers have yet to face the Nuggets this season, but they did split a couple of preseason games. D’Angelo Russell — who scored 20 points in Los Angeles’ last game on Sunday — is looking to capture the kind of success he did in October when he scored 54 points in 56 minutes of back-to-back exhibitions with Denver.
4)
Despite Russell and Lou Williams (26 points) filling up the bucket for the Lakers, the team was unable to hit a single shot over the last three minutes of Sunday’s 102-97 loss to Detroit. The Lakers will aim for better 3-point accuracy in this tilt, as the starting lineup went just 1-of-14 from deep against the Pistons
5)
Denver, meanwhile, has dominated its last two games following a five-game losing streak. On Thursday, the Nuggets were scorching overseas, beating Indiana by 28 points in London. Then they returned stateside to beat Orlando by 13 behind a monster 30-point, 11-rebound effort from Nikola Jokic.
6)
Jokic has been on a roll lately, averaging 21.9 points on 62.7 percent shooting over his last nine games. Denver’s offense is hyper efficient with the sophomore on the floor, as he leads the league in offensive rating (129.1 points per 100 possessions) and ranks fifth in field goal percentage (59.4).
7)
This game will be another matchup between the top two point guards of the 2015 Draft: Russell and Emmanuel Mudiay. Though Mudiay has struggled lately and is currently last in the NBA in field goal percentage (37.4), he is coming off one of his better games this season, having tallied 18 points and 13 assists against the Magic.
8)
Both teams employ one of the league’s top bench scorers. Lou Williams ranks second among reserves by putting up 17.8 points per night, while Wilson Chandler — who is on pace for the highest average of his career — is next with 15.9.
9)
Nineteen-year-old Jamal Murray has been quiet lately, failing to score double figures in 15 straight games. Murray was the Western Conference Rookie of the Month for November, but his minutes have dwindled, and he only played five in Monday’s victory.
10)
The Nuggets have made themselves comfortable in the Lakers’ house lately, beating them in six straight games at Staples Center. The Lakers were dominant before this streak, topping Denver in 26 of their previous 30 meetings in Los Angeles.
Injury Report
Lakers: D’Angelo Russell (sore left knee) is probable. Jordan Clarkson (sprained right ankle) and Tarik Black (sprained left ankle) are questionable. Larry Nance Jr. (bone bruise, left knee) is out.
Nuggets: Garry Harris (sprained right ankle) and Darrell Arthur (left knee soreness) are TBD.
Tip-Off: 7:30 p.m. PT
TV: Spectrum SportsNet and Spectrum Deportes in L.A. NBA TV nationally
Radio: 710 ESPN and 1330 KWKW