2026-10-16 · 9:30 PM CT · Preseason
Denver Nuggets54-28
Los Angeles Lakers53-29ESPN standings data retrieved October 6, 2026. NBA comparisons use the completed 2025–26 regular season. Each upcoming fixture labels preseason or regular-season status.
Denver Nuggets2025–26 regular season
| Measure | Season average | League rank |
|---|---|---|
| STANDARD STATS | ||
| Points / game | 122.1 | 1 / 30 |
| Rebounds / game | 44.0 | 14 / 30 |
| Assists / game | 29.0 | 4 / 30 |
| Turnovers / game | 12.2 | 3 / 30 |
| Steals / game | 6.8 | 30 / 30 |
| Blocks / game | 4.0 | 28 / 30 |
| FG% | 49.6% | 2 / 30 |
| 3PT% | 39.6% | 1 / 30 |
| FT% | 80.8% | 5 / 30 |
| THE LAB MEASURES | ||
| eFG% | 57.7% | 1 / 30 |
| Turnover rate | 10.9% | 3 / 30 |
| Offensive rebound rate | — | — |
| Free-throw pressure | 0.294 | 4 / 30 |
Los Angeles Lakers2025–26 regular season
| Measure | Season average | League rank |
|---|---|---|
| STANDARD STATS | ||
| Points / game | 116.3 | 11 / 30 |
| Rebounds / game | 41.0 | 27 / 30 |
| Assists / game | 25.9 | 17 / 30 |
| Turnovers / game | 13.8 | 16 / 30 |
| Steals / game | 8.5 | 14 / 30 |
| Blocks / game | 4.3 | 22 / 30 |
| FG% | 50.2% | 1 / 30 |
| 3PT% | 35.9% | 14 / 30 |
| FT% | 76.3% | 26 / 30 |
| THE LAB MEASURES | ||
| eFG% | 57.3% | 2 / 30 |
| Turnover rate | 12.6% | 21 / 30 |
| Offensive rebound rate | — | — |
| Free-throw pressure | 0.320 | 1 / 30 |
ESPN team totals and game box scores checked October 6. NBA season averages and ranks use 2025–26; preseason game results are shown separately. Ranks are within the league, with ties sharing a rank; a lower turnover rate is better. Season offensive rebound rate needs opponent defensive-rebound totals, which this feed does not supply. A dash means unavailable. This game’s offensive rebound rate uses the opponent’s actual rebounds.
eFG% gives a made three its extra value. Turnover rate estimates the share of plays lost before a shot. Offensive rebound rate is the share of available offensive rebounds collected. Free-throw pressure is FTA/FGA. The calculations are (FGM + 0.5 × 3PM)/FGA; TOV/(FGA + 0.44 × FTA + TOV); OREB/(OREB + opponent DREB); and FTA/FGA.
This is preseason. Use the team numbers as background and watch how the new lineups play together. No spread or Lab win probability is published for this game.
Last season 54-28 | 3rd in the West | First-round loss to Minnesota, 4-2
2025-26 efficiency 121.2 offense | 116.0 defense | +5.2 net per 100 possessions
Denver finished third at 54-28 and lost to Minnesota in six games in the first round. Its 121.2 offensive rating was the league's best. A defense allowing 116.0 points per 100 possessions, ranked 21st, explains why that advantage did not make the Nuggets a complete contender. Nikola Jokic could create a good shot without making the next defensive possession a good one.
The front office added DeMar DeRozan, Marvin Bagley III and Alpha Diallo while losing Peyton Watson and Tim Hardaway Jr. DeRozan can organize scoring possessions when Jokic rests. Diallo provides a possible defensive answer on the wing. Neither addition removes the importance of Aaron Gordon, whose 36-game season left Denver short of its most useful defensive forward for long stretches.
The unresolved concern is how the supporting cast generates enough stops without sacrificing the offense. Watson's departure makes that assignment harder. Bagley is another option behind Jokic, but does not establish a proven defensive bench. DeRozan helps with shot creation in an area that was already strong. Management still has to demonstrate that the tradeoff produces better lineups rather than simply a different scoring distribution.
Projected finish is sixth in the West. Jokic and Jamal Murray keep Denver in the direct-playoff group, but we do not credit a meaningful defensive improvement before seeing it. Better Gordon availability could move the Nuggets above that forecast. The case for a title still depends on the possessions their offense cannot rescue.
Last season 53-29 | 4th in the West | Conference semifinals loss to Oklahoma City, 4-0
2025-26 efficiency 117.0 offense | 115.5 defense | +1.5 net per 100 possessions
The Lakers won 53 games, finished fourth and beat Houston before Oklahoma City swept them in the second round. Their plus-1.5 net rating was much less impressive than their record. That gap is a reason to examine the roster closely before assuming the same win total will repeat, especially now that LeBron James has left for Philadelphia.
Rob Pelinka rebuilt around Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves. Walker Kessler supplies the clearest improvement, giving a 20th-ranked defense a stronger interior presence. Quentin Grimes and Matisse Thybulle add perimeter options, while Collin Sexton provides another scorer. Reaves returns after averaging 23.3 points, and the Lakers had productive minutes with the Doncic-Reaves pairing even when James was off the court.
The remaining hole is the forward rotation. Several newcomers can finish a play, but the team still needs size, reliable outside shooting and defensive judgment in the same lineup. Kessler cannot simultaneously protect the rim and repair every breakdown above it. With only 42 percent of last season's minutes returning, Pelinka has also purchased a substantial chemistry assignment for JJ Redick.
Projected finish is third in the West. Doncic's creation and improved rim protection support a strong regular-season floor. The projection credits the repair without pretending the Lakers have replaced every part of James' production. Their postseason ceiling depends on which forwards earn trust and whether the guards can protect Kessler from constant emergency work.
A matching published game video is not available in the verified archive yet.
