Jokic leads Denver against Los Angeles after 40-point showing

Denver Nuggets (43-25, third in the Western Conference) vs. Los Angeles Lakers (41-25, fourth in the Western Conference)

Los Angeles; Wednesday, 10 p.m. EDT

BOTTOM LINE: Denver plays the Los Angeles Lakers after Nikola Jokic scored 40 points in the Nuggets’ 126-123 loss to the Washington Wizards.

The Lakers are 28-13 in Western Conference games. Los Angeles is eighth in the Western Conference with 26.3 assists per game led by LeBron James averaging 8.5.

The Nuggets are 26-15 in conference matchups. Denver averages 121.2 points while outscoring opponents by 4.3 points per game.

The Lakers average 12.8 made 3-pointers per game this season, 1.3 fewer makes per game than the Nuggets allow (14.1). The Nuggets score 9.8 more points per game (121.2) than the Lakers allow (111.4).

TOP PERFORMERS: Austin Reaves is averaging 19.4 points and 5.9 assists for the Lakers. Luka Doncic is averaging 25.6 points, 6.5 rebounds, 6.7 assists and 1.7 steals over the last 10 games.

Russell Westbrook is scoring 13.1 points per game and averaging 5.0 rebounds for the Nuggets. Michael Porter Jr. is averaging 2.2 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Lakers: 5-4, averaging 113.6 points, 43.5 rebounds, 25.2 assists, 7.9 steals and 4.0 blocks per game while shooting 46.5% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 111.2 points per game.

Nuggets: 5-5, averaging 120.6 points, 44.1 rebounds, 30.0 assists, 7.4 steals and 5.1 blocks per game while shooting 49.6% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 122.2 points.

INJURIES: Lakers: LeBron James: out (leg), Maxi Kleber: out (foot), Trey Jemison III: out (illness), Rui Hachimura: out (knee).

Nuggets: Jamal Murray: out (ankle), Nikola Jokic: out (elbow), Christian Braun: out (foot), DaRon Holmes II: out for season (achilles), Julian Strawther: out (knee).

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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.