The Denver Nuggets, the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference, and Los Angeles Lakers, the No. 7 seed, are set to meet in Game 1 of the opening round of the NBA Playoffs at Ball Arena on Saturday. The Nuggets went 57-25 in the regular season, while the Lakers were 47-35.
One year ago, the seventh-seeded Lakers and top-seeded Nuggets met in the Western Conference Finals. That series ended in a four-game sweep for Denver as they advanced to their first-ever NBA Finals.
While not as miserable as it seems, given three of those games were decided by six points or fewer, Los Angeles will be hoping for a better outcome this time as they face Denver two rounds earlier this year in the best-of-seven series.
If the season series is any to go by, Denver holds the upper hand over LA, having won all three games this season by a combined 30 points. In fact, the Lakers have dropped eight straight to the Nuggets dating back to last season.
Still, LeBron James and the Lakers will believe they could do some serious damage against the Nuggets as they carry positive momentum after holding off the New Orleans Pelicans to win the Play-In tournament and progress to the Playoffs.
Here, GOAL brings you everything you need to know about how to watch the game, including what TV channel to watch it on, streaming details, and more.
Denver Nuggets vs LA Lakers: Date and Tip-Off Time
The Denver Nuggets and the Los Angeles Lakers will face in a highly anticipated NBA game on Saturday, April 20, 2024, at 5:30 p.m. ET/ 2:30 p.m. PT, at Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado.
| Date | Saturday, April 20, 2024 |
| Kick-off Time | 5:30 p.m. ET / 2:30 p.m. PT |
| Arena | Ball Arena |
| Location | Denver, Colorado |
How to watch Denver Nuggets vs LA Lakers Online - TV Channels and Live Streams
Fans can catch the action between the Denver Nuggets and the LA Lakers live on ABC.
If you don't have cable TV, the best way to watch every NBA playoff game online is with DirecTV Stream Choice. Best of all, DirecTV Stream packages all start with a five-day free trial. You’ll want the Choice package to get all the NBA playoff channels, which costs $98.99 for the first three months after the free trial, and then $108.99 a month after that.
Denver Nuggets vs LA Lakers Team News
Denver Nuggets Team News
Denver’s injury report was almost empty. Vlatko Cancar, who underwent knee surgery last summer and remains out, is the only player on the Nuggets’ injury report.
Nikola Jokic (26.4 PPG, 9.0 APG) is arguably the best player in the world, and he is likely in line to win his third MVP trophy this year. He's got the No. 1 spot for this series covered. He averaged a triple-double against Davis last year in the playoffs, and after a trio of unstoppable performances against LA earlier this season, he's unlikely to slow down this time.
Where the competition gets interesting is how the quality falls in line with him. During last year's Western Conference Finals, LA simply did not have an answer for Jamal Murray, who has netted at least 20 points in four of his last five bouts.
LA Lakers Team News
LeBron James (left ankle peroneal tendinopathy) and Anthony Davis (low back soreness) are listed as probable to play. Jalen Hood-Schifino (lumbar disc surgery), Cam Reddish (right ankle sprain), Jarred Vanderbilt (right midfoot sprain) and Christian Wood (left knee surgery) are all definitely out as expected for the Lakers.
In the Lakers' victory against the Pelicans, James (25.7 PPG and 7.3 RPG) overcame a poor shooting night (6 of 20) to lead the Lakers with 23 points, nine rebounds and nine assists. He hit all 10 of his free throws. Davis ( 24.7 PPG and 12.6 RPG) added 20 points and 15 rebounds while hitting 8 of 10 free throws. Russell tallied 21 points and six assists and led the effort from long distance with a 5-of-11 performance.
Head-to-Head Records
Here is the record of the last five meetings between the Denver Nuggets and the LA Lakers in NBA matches:
| Date | Match | Competition |
|---|---|---|
| 03/03/24 | Los Angeles Lakers 114-124 Denver Nuggets | NBA |
| 09/02/24 | Los Angeles Lakers 106-114 Denver Nuggets | NBA |
| 25/10/23 | Denver Nuggets 119-107 Los Angeles Lakers | NBA |
| 23/05/23 | Los Angeles Lakers 111-113 Denver Nuggets | NBA |
| 21/05/23 | Los Angeles Lakers 108-119 Denver Nuggets | NBA |