FROM ABOVE ARTICLE:

High-profile, high-stakes matchup

The Lakers aced the first part of a tough March schedule, beating the Knicks and Timberwolves and taking care of business against the other lesser opponents. Now the difficulty level rises even further. The Nuggets, the only team to beat the Lakers during this recent 7–1 stretch, are up next, followed by two more heavy tests against the Rockets.

These three games are not just another chance for the Lakers to reaffirm their recent play, which has shown they can hang with and even beat the top teams. They will also carry significant standings implications. With a win today, the Lakers would gain another game of cushion over the Nuggets and clinch the season-series tiebreaker, while a loss would do the opposite.

Source: ESPN

Lakers (41-25) vs Nuggets (41-26) game facts
Rest: LAL on 1 day of rest; DEN on 1 day of rest

Ranking: LAL 13th in Point Diff (+1.6), DEN 10th in Point Diff (+3.8)

LAL vs DEN 2025-26 record: 1-1 (see Game 62 observations here, Game 42 observations here)

LAL injuries: Jaxson Hayes (probable), Maxi Kleber (OUT)

DEN injuries: Peyton Watson (OUT), Aaron Gordon (probable), Jamal Murray (probable)

LAL projected starting five: Luka Dončić (G), Marcus Smart (G), Austin Reaves (G), LeBron James (F), Deandre Ayton (C)

LAL key reserves: Rui Hachimura, Luke Kennard, Jake LaRavia, Jaxson Hayes, Jarred Vanderbilt

DEN projected starting five: Jamal Murray (G), Christian Braun (G), Cameron Johnson (F), Aaron Gordon (F), Nikola Jokić (C)

DEN key reserves: Bruce Brown, Tim Hardaway Jr., Jonas Valanciunas, Spencer Jones, Julian Strawther

Key storyline: Can the Lakers deliver a high-level shotmaking game against the Nuggets?

The Lakers have been on a roll recently, with Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves playing some of their best basketball, matching the level we saw at the beginning of the season. Dončić and Reaves are averaging 40.3 and 26.3 points per game, respectively, over the last four games. The Lakers will need that to carry over into tonight’s matchup, because their opponent is operating at a similar, if not even higher, level when it comes to scoring the basketball.

Like the Lakers, the Nuggets have gotten healthy and have been throwing haymakers at their opponents. They’ve scored 120 or more points in five of their last six games. Even more impressively, they’ve scored 126 or more in their last three games against the best-, third-, and fifth-ranked defenses, facing the Thunder, Rockets, and Spurs.

Nuggets offense last seven games (source: Cleaning the Glass)

Barring an outlier shooting night from three by the Nuggets, the Lakers will likely need to outscore the best offense in the NBA and push past 120 points. It’s something they are capable of, but something they failed to do in the two previous matchups this season. The Lakers will need Dončić and Reaves to be at the top of their games when it comes to shotmaking, and the rest of the team will have to convert at a high clip if they want to outscore the best offense in the NBA.

Lakers on offense | Nuggets on defense

The key, as always, will be to attack Jokić systematically and consistently from the first possession. The Lakers failed to do that in the last game, easing into the game and giving up an 11–0 lead after three minutes. From that point on, they had to play catch-up for the rest of the night.

The Nuggets tried Jokić in drop coverage early in the game but quickly switched to hedge and blitz against Dončić, opening up four-on-three opportunities. However, Jokić mostly remained in drop against Reaves. The Lakers generated good offense when that happened, and Dončić and Reaves will need to find the right balance, eliminating empty freelance possessions that do not serve the purpose of attacking and tiring Jokić, as that is the best way to have any success against him on the other end. Jaxson Hayes’ potential return could be a huge boost, as his speed, verticality, and short-roll decision-making put a lot of pressure on Jokić in either drop or more aggressive blitz situations.

The Lakers also need to leverage LeBron James as a secondary playmaker to add more unpredictability and variety to their attack. They ran two great actions in the previous matchup in the fourth quarter, and they’ll need more of that to ensure high-level offense throughout the game.

The task will get more difficult with Aaron Gordon, the Nuggets’ best defender, back in the mix. Gordon and Cameron Johnson bring more size to the rotation, making it harder to target smaller defenders. Another reason to go at Jokić even more consistently.

Nuggets on offense | Lakers on defense

Apart from an early stretch when the Lakers were too slow and not aggressive enough in perimeter actions, giving up a couple of open looks for Jamal Murray, their defense was at the right level in the last game. It’s hard to expect Jokić to have nine turnovers again, but they will need to be aggressive against him when doubling, because every deflection and every lost possession will matter.

The focus and speed of rotations will need to be even better tonight, because with Gordon back Jokić has one of his best release valves, a player like Murray with whom he has played thousands of actions and can find almost blindfolded at any time. Johnson, a 41 percent three-point shooter, makes loading up on Jokić a riskier proposition. To have a chance against the Nuggets’ high-octane offense, the Lakers will probably need some luck and hope for an off shooting night from the Nuggets’ supporting cast.

Because of Ayton’s early injury in the last game, JJ Redick had to revert to small-ball with James or Rui Hachimura at the five in the previous matchup. That is an alternative look they could use again in this game (especially if Ayton struggles with speed and decision making against a high precision offense), as James, Hachimura, and Dončić have the size to offer at least some early resistance until help arrives. But Denver countered that by putting Jokić on Marcus Smart or Jake LaRavia on the other end, and the duo will need to make the open three to punish that. Otherwise, Redick will have to find better solutions rather than living and dying with Smart’s shooting, like they did on crucial late-game possessions last time.

Final thoughts

Lakers–Nuggets, Dončić vs. Jokić, are always interesting chess matches on both ends of the floor. For the Lakers to come out on top, they’ll need to bring their A-game when it comes to shotmaking and execution.

A win would be a huge boost and another proof that they belong in the conversations they’ve been taken out of for most of the season.

“If it benefits others, it benefits the team. The team is most important. … So yeah, it is a sacrifice. I know what I'm capable of still doing as an individual, but what's important for this team, I'm able to adapt to … And that's the only thing that matters” – LeBron James pic.twitter.com/2NiasV4Igg— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) March 13, 2026

Lakers list Jaxson Hayes as probable for tomorrow against the Nuggets, Maxi Kleber is out. Marcus Smart is off the injury report and available. pic.twitter.com/lFl9WngNS5— Trevor Lane (@TrevorLane) March 13, 2026

LAKERS HAVE #1 RECORD IN CLUTCH GAMES!Lakers have a 17-6 record in clutch games, which is #1, while the Thunder have a 21-10 record, which is 3rd. https://t.co/dV957nGuPe— LakerTom (@LakerTom) March 13, 2026

Lakers coach JJ Redick said LeBron James understands the sacrifices he has to take with Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves on the floor.“The realistic thing is that when (Reaves and Doncic are) on the court together, that's going to take away time on the ball from him.” pic.twitter.com/PX99SPxAT2— Benjamin Royer (@thebenroyer) March 13, 2026

Tonight was just another microcosm of LeBron’s career.Every time the noise gets loud, he silencesall of the nonsense.The more they lie and say he can’t, the more he proves he can, will, and does.FOR 23 YEARS. 🐐 pic.twitter.com/dl2ozgLyME— Witness King James (@WITNESSKJ) March 13, 2026

“(LeBron) wants to do everything possible to help his team win,” JJ Redick said. “And he understands the importance of making sure Luka and AR can be at their best. And that’s incredible with him.” Thursday, LeBron James returned to the Lakers with a commitment to a…— Dan Woike (@DanWoikeSports) March 13, 2026

Luka Dončić last 4 games, all Lakers wins:51/10/9 3 steals +1531/11/11 2 steals +2035/8/4 2 steals +1444/9/5 3 steals +20I guess this can get him Player of the Week…but drops him to 7th or 8th spot in Kia MVP Ladder— Iztok Franko (@iztok_franko) March 13, 2026

Let that sink in. Luka is the leading scorer in the league, top 3 in assists, best guard rebounder too and Lakers are the 3rd seed. If that was any other player with those numbers they would be the clear MVP favorite this season. https://t.co/iM4LRYSFTn— Matej Sportinfo (@MatejSportinfo) March 13, 2026

Deandre Ayton tonight:23 Points10 Rebounds 10/13 FGM37 Minutes pic.twitter.com/4WQHL0z1dg— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) March 13, 2026

23 pts 10 reb for DA. Asked Luka how their pick and roll chemistry has developed: "In that 3rd/4th quarter they went to blitz, he saw a small guy and he was playing bully ball down there. Then they went switch I fed him a couple times. I think he's been doing an amazing job" pic.twitter.com/gzVEVS4dGy— Raj C. (@RajChipalu) March 13, 2026

Lakers' record when Deandre Ayton has:20+ PTS, 10+ REB: 11-110+ PTS, 10+ REB: 17-3 pic.twitter.com/lHtIaYme0z— Underdog NBA (@UnderdogNBA) March 13, 2026

BREAKING: Since tracking began, the Lakers just had the 4th-highest scoring starting lineup output ever… 🤯THE LEBRON RETURN EFFECT 🔥 pic.twitter.com/3iIsjWLYNy— Witness King James (@WITNESSKJ) March 13, 2026

The Lakers are now 27-2 in games where they lead at the half 🤯 pic.twitter.com/mMDeBBiMEt— LakersMuse (@LALMuse) March 13, 2026

THE LAKERS HAVE TAKEN SOLE POSSESSION OF THE 3 SEED 😈 pic.twitter.com/MXtcNy1TB3— Lakers All Day Everyday (@LADEig) March 13, 2026

averaging a 40 point triple double in this stretchsnatched the 3 seed in the conference where no one thinks his team can contend and mfs still acting like everybody under the sun playing better than luka apparently this isn’t even a top 3 mvp candidate pic.twitter.com/wnTR0718Qw— Coach Rome (@Rome_Beast) March 13, 2026

4 in a row for the #LakeShow! pic.twitter.com/tMqS4j9iLL— Spectrum SportsNet (@SpectrumSN) March 13, 2026

RUI HACHIMURA TONIGHT ⚔️ 40 minutes ⚔️ 15 points ⚔️ 1 rebound⚔️ 3/5 3PT⚔️ +16 +/-AGGRESSIVE RUI >>>> pic.twitter.com/nXOIlgue2M— Lakers Lead (@LakersLead) March 13, 2026

LEBRON JAMES TONIGHT 👑 33 minutes 👑 18 points 👑 7 rebounds 👑 7 assists 👑 3 stocksTHIS IS NOT NORMAL 🐐 pic.twitter.com/nyok7IRfmy— Lakers Lead (@LakersLead) March 13, 2026

LAKERS WIN AGAIN! 4 IN A ROW 💜💛🪄 Luka: 51 PTS | 10 AST | 9 REB🐐 Reaves: 26 PTS | 7 REB | 5 AST👑 LeBron: 18 PTS | 7 AST | 7 REB🇧🇸 Ayton: 23 PTS (10/13 FG) | 10 REB🥷 Rui: 15 PTS (3/4 3PM) pic.twitter.com/TwyEu4Z1ZH— LakeShowYo (@LakeShowYo) March 13, 2026