Lakers vs. Nuggets Preseason Preview: The final dress rehearsal

The Los Angeles Lakers face the Denver Nuggets at Crypto.com Arena on Friday night in their final preseason game before the regular season begins. Head coach JJ Redick's team is looking to test lineups against a formidable Western Conference opponent, with both teams treating the contest as a final dress rehearsal. Fans could potentially see key stars including Luka Dončić, Austin Reaves, and offseason signing Walker Kessler share the court.

Kessler made his preseason debut on Tuesday against the Golden State Warriors, tallying 11 points and nine rebounds across 16 minutes. Meanwhile, Collin Sexton remains sidelined with a lower leg injury and has yet to appear in the preseason, though optimism remains for his availability on opening night. The Nuggets may also give limited minutes to core players Nikola Jokić, Jamal Murray, and Aaron Gordon.