The Los Angeles Lakers are on the rebound after securing back-to-back victories, first against the Phoenix Suns and most recently against the San Antonio Spurs, snapping a four-game losing streak. Now, they face a significant test against the Denver Nuggets, and Luka Doncic didn’t hold back when discussing Nikola Jokic’s impact.
Heading into the matchup, Jokic will be well-rested after sitting out Denver’s impressive win against the Golden State Warriors, a decision made by head coach Michael Malone. With Jokic expected to be in peak form, the Lakers know they’ll have their hands full.
Following the Lakers‘ win over the Spurs, Doncic addressed Jokic’s influence in a postgame press conference. “The team that has Jokic is always dangerous,” said Doncic. “With him on the court, there’s always danger and it’s hard to play against him”.
Doncic went on to praise the Serbian star while acknowledging the challenge he poses for the Lakers. “He knows all the tricks. He’s an amazing basketball player,” he added. “But that’s fun for us. That’s a challenge for us”.
In addition to Jokic, Nuggets starters Jamal Murray and Christian Braun also sat out the game against the Warriors, making Denver’s victory over Stephen Curry and the Warriors even more impressive. All three players are expected to be back in the starting lineup for the matchup against the Lakers.
Lakers set to face Nuggets without LeBron James
Initially, it was estimated that LeBron James would miss one to two weeks due to a left groin strain sustained against the Celtics. However, the NBA’s all-time leading scorer is now expected to remain sidelined for an additional one to two weeks. So far, James has missed five games for the Lakers and could be out for three more.
ESPN’s Shams Charania reports that LeBron James is expected to make his return for the Lakers’ game against the Orlando Magic, roughly a week after his injury. This means he will sit out the upcoming matchups against the Nuggets on Wednesday, the Bucks on Thursday, and the Bulls on Saturday.