There is a laundry list of reasons as to why the Saturday night matchup for the Los Angeles Lakers is easily the most important one they will have for quite some time. Feb. 22 will mark the second time this season where the Lakers will play the Denver Nuggets. It will provide LeBron James, Luka Doncic, and the rest of the organization with little to no room for error due to a plethora of reasons.
The last time the Lakers played the Nuggets was on Nov. 23 in the comforts of Crypto.com Arena. Those comforts quickly disappeared as Denver dished out a massive beating, laying the haymakers in a 127-102 smackdown over Los Angeles.
Doncic, James have an opportunity to lead Lakers to a statement win
Starting off on a positive note, Jovan Buha confirmed on Twitter/X that both Doncic and James are expected to be available for this contest. The two Lakers superstars were listed as probable for Saturday's matchup.
Lakers’ injury report vs. Denver tomorrow:
— Jovan Buha (@jovanbuha) February 21, 2025
— LeBron James and Luka Doncic are probable. pic.twitter.com/yQFY6KSJ9K
Resting Doncic against the Portland Trail Blazers was a great move by the Lakers. There will now be an opportunity for Los Angeles to hopefully get a big game out of the Slovenian superstar. They will likely need it.
Lakers fans do not need reminding that this Nuggets team has been a thorn in their side for the last couple of seasons. Denver sent them packing from the NBA Playoffs in both the 2022-23 and 2023-24 campaigns.
Those instances did not have Doncic in the mix. However, the Lakers have yet to properly integrate Luka into their team just yet. The five-time All-NBA First Team member has been slow out of the gates with his new squad. Doncic has averaged 14.7 points, 6.7 rebounds, 5.3 assists, and 4.0 turnovers, while shooting a disappointing 35.6 percent from the field and 20.8 percent from beyond the arc, in the three appearances he has made to this point. The Lakers are 1-2 in those games.
Luka's debut alongside James offered a promising glimpse into the future for Los Angeles. However, the last two contests have thrown a wrench back into the equation. A matchup against a real contender like the Nuggets will offer a needed opportunity for the Lakers duo to prove they can get it done against stiff competition.
The importance of this game extends past that. Apart from the obvious factor of these two teams jockeying for position in the Western Conference standings, this matchup will offer a crucial look at how this Lakers team, with their depleted frontcourt, combats the most extreme of challenges up front. There will be no more difficult obstacle for Los Angeles than that of Nikola Jokic.
The best player in the world was already a tough matchup for the Lakers. Saturday night offers an opportunity to see what the hopes are of competing against the all-time great are with a team that looks far less equipped to do so.
Asked Nikola Jokic about his good friend Luka Doncic being traded to the Lakers:
— Mike Curtis (@MikeACurtis2) February 15, 2025
“He was building something there. He was hurt.”
Is it weird not having Luka at All-Star festivities?
“It’s weird because we always have a good night before the game.” pic.twitter.com/e2RMjljcuU
Lastly, there is the more underrated conversation point as to why this game matters. It is no secret to anyone that Doncic and Jokic are friends. Some NBA insiders believe that Doncic staying in Los Angeles for the long term is not a foregone conclusion. The Lakers do not want to give their new superstar any reason to look across the court and see a greener pasture potentially waiting for him.
Crazier team-ups have happened in NBA history. While that will not be the core focus of why this matchup weighs so heavily for Los Angeles, it certainly might be a creeping thought in the back of some minds for Saturday night.