The Los Angeles Lakers (3-10) return to their home court Sunday after a three-game road trip that offered more positive signs than negative. Welcoming the Lakers back home are the Denver Nuggets (5-7), who have won three games in a row.
After starting the season 1-6, Brian Shaw's Denver Nuggets have won four of their last five games including impressive wins at Cleveland and at Indiana. Arriving at Staples Center on the heels of a 20-point victory over the New Orleans Pelicans, the Nuggets are not a team to be taken lightly.
After losing to the Dallas Mavericks on Friday night, the Lakers returned home and practiced on Saturday. Kobe Bryant, Carlos Boozer and Jeremy Lin all skipped the Saturday session due to various ailments.
On Sunday morning, Lakers coach Byron Scott updated the statuses of all three players. According to the coach, Bryant was definitely back, which was to be expected. Lin, who had a sore back, said he was good to go.
"In the game against Dallas, I just kind of got hit awkwardly," Jeremy explained Sunday morning. "It'll be alright for tonight."
After having an MRI on Saturday, Boozer, however, had more of a question mark hanging over his head. The coach confirmed that the shoulder was not a new issue with Boozer, but the veteran forward had been able to fight through soreness earlier in the season.
Scott confirmed that if Boozer was unable to go, the contingency plan was straight forward: "Ed Davis will start."
Scott said Davis provides the Lakers with "a little bit of everything." Davis leads the team in shot blocks and field goal percentage. The coach pointed out that Denver's big men like to run and play physical, so regardless of whether Davis starts, he will be crucial for the Lakers getting their third win in the last four games.
"I think if he starts, he'll be fine," Scott said about Davis.
The Lakers and Nuggets tip-off at 6:30 p.m. Pacific Time.
