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Lakers vs. Nuggets Preseason Preview: The final dress rehearsal

The Los Angeles Lakers will close out their preseason schedule with a home matchup against the Denver Nuggets on Friday, October 16, marking their final dress rehearsal before the regular season begins. The game, set to tip off at 7:30 p.m.

PT at Crypto.com Arena, offers a chance to see key players like Luka Dončić, Austin Reaves, and rookie Walker Kessler—who made his preseason debut against the Golden State Warriors—operate together more extensively. Kessler, the Lakers’ marquee offseason signing, showed promise with 11 points and nine rebounds in limited minutes, while Reaves delivered a standout performance with 28 points and seven assists.

The matchup also provides an opportunity to observe how coach J.J. Redick might structure his starting lineup, with speculation swirling over who will join Dončić, Reaves, and Kessler in the rotation.

Meanwhile, the Nuggets, also in their final preseason game, could deploy their star trio of Nikola Jokić, Jamal Murray, and Aaron Gordon in a more substantial role after resting them in their previous contest. The Lakers hold a 4-2 edge over the Nuggets since Dončić’s arrival, adding extra intrigue to this preseason showdown.

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