Nuggets' stars return for Wednesday's Lakers matchup

The Denver Nuggets are set to face the Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday in Los Angeles. Both teams have recently played without key players. However, the Nuggets are expected to have their stars return, while the Lakers will be missing LeBron James and Rui Hachimura. In their last game, the Nuggets managed a 114-105 victory over the Golden State Warriors despite being without Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray. Head coach Michael Malone praised his team's effort, stating they played hard and with urgency. The Nuggets currently hold a slight edge over the Lakers in the Western Conference standings. The Nuggets have been inconsistent recently, with a record of 3-3 since March 9. They previously beat the Lakers 131-126 in a home game, with Jokic scoring 28 points. Meanwhile, the Lakers were without James and Hachimura in that match as well. They did secure a convincing win against the San Antonio Spurs, where Austin Reaves scored 30 points and Luka Doncic contributed with 14 assists. The Lakers' performance against the Spurs showed solid offensive teamwork, even as Doncic continues to recover from an injury. He recorded nearly a triple-double, even with a lower shooting percentage. The Nuggets lead the season series against the Lakers 2-1 and have performed well against them overall, winning 14 of their last 16 matchups.