Los Angeles @ Denver preview

Last Meeting ( Dec 2, 2017 ) L.A. Lakers 100, Denver 115

The Denver Nuggets are in a race so tightly packed in the Western Conference that a losing streak of any length could see them in 10th place by the weekend. The Nuggets will try to avoid a third consecutive setback and jump higher up in the standings when they host the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday.

Denver entered play Thursday in a three-way tie for the No. 8 spot in the West but also remained only four games behind the No. 3 Portland Trail Blazers despite opening a three-game homestand with a 113-108 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday. "Everybody is talking playoff, playoff, playoff, but we need to think about the next game," Nuggets center Nikola Jokic told reporters. "That's all that matters." The Lakers aren't battling for a playoff spot but will get a pair of opportunities to ruin things for Denver with another date against the Nuggets at home on Tuesday. Los Angeles earned the win in six of its last seven games and got the benefit of a botched call by the officials in Wednesday's 108-107 win over the Orlando Magic.

TV: 9 p.m. ET, Spectrum SportsNet (Los Angeles), Altitude (Denver)

ABOUT THE LAKERS (29-35): The officials ruled a jump ball after an inadvertent whistle with under one second remaining on Wednesday, and center Brook Lopez tipped the ball away to put a final period on a strong performance. Lopez gets lost in the shuffle when Los Angeles talks about its solid young corps, but the veteran center led the way with 27 points on 12-of-18 shooting in Wednesday's 108-107 victory and scored in double figures in each of the last six games. Rookie Kyle Kuzma enjoyed a strong game while starting alongside Lopez against the Magic and collected 20 points and 10 rebounds.

ABOUT THE NUGGETS (35-30): Jokic failed to score in double figures in three consecutive games before going off for 36 points on 12-of-14 shooting on Wednesday. "I thought he was great," Denver coach Michael Malone told reporters of Jokic, who added 13 rebounds. "That's the Nikola that we need. Very aggressive. I called his number quite a bit, and he delivered for us." Paul Millsap added 12 points in the loss and is averaging 11.8 in five games since coming back from a wrist injury.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Lakers PF Julius Randle owns four double-doubles in seven games since the All-Star break.

2. Nuggets C Mason Plumlee is 18-of-22 from the floor over the last four games.

3. The teams split the first two meetings, with Denver earning a 115-100 win at home on Dec. 2.

PREDICTION: Nuggets 121, Lakers 115