The Los Angeles Lakers are getting right back to it as they host the Denver Nuggets at 10 p.m. ET May 3 at Staples Center. The Lakers are out to stop a five-game streak of losses at home.
Los Angeles came up short against the Toronto Raptors on Sunday, falling 121-114. If the result catches you off guard, it should: Los Angeles was far and away the favorite. Their defeat shouldn't obscure the performances of small forward Kyle Kuzma, who shot 6-for-11 from downtown and finished with 24 points, and center Andre Drummond, who dropped a double-double on 19 points and 11 boards.
Meanwhile, Denver didn't have too much breathing room in their contest with the Los Angeles Clippers this past Saturday, but they still walked away with a 110-104 victory. It was another big night for Denver's center Nikola Jokic, who posted a double-double on 30 points and 14 rebounds along with seven dimes.
The Lakers are now 36-28 while the Nuggets sit at 43-21. A couple numbers to keep in mind before tip-off: Los Angeles ranks second in the league when it comes to points allowed per game, with only 106.7 on average. But Denver comes into the game boasting the fourth most points per game in the league at 115.5. We'll see which of these strengths -- offense or defense -- will win out.
How To Watch Lakers vs. Nuggets
The Nuggets are a slight 2.5-point favorite against the Lakers, according to the latest NBA odds.
The oddsmakers had a good feel for the line for this one, as the game opened with the Nuggets as a 1.5-point favorite.
Over/Under: -110