I've run out of ways to gush about Aaron Gordon who arguably the Nuggets most important player outside of Nikola Jokic. Gordon is one of the leagues most versatile players on both ends of the court, but defensively he is one of the rare players not just capable but excels guarding positions 1 through 5 and routinely is assigned with slowing down the opponents best perimeter player. Offensively Gordon sacrifices his playmaking ability to primarily out of the dunker spot where he shows off tremendous cutting ability and basketball IQ. Gordon is an underrated passer and ball handler who could score 20 a game if needed to. Whenever Jamal Murray is inactive his usage rate spikes and he averages an additional 4.4 RA without Murray.

LBJ has a flair for the dramatic, he is going to 40,000 points tonight, he'll want to one-up The Joker and he's chucked up 17 3s the last two games as he pursues this record ... and he's hit 9 of them. I suspect he comes out launching. LBJ is over this in 3 of the last 5 games and been home all week ("road" game vs LAC). Nuggets are only league average defending the three ball. This is a game where LBJ will be on the court as much as he wants, and there is no reason to think he won't demand heavy minutes in what could be a shootout.

LBJ is on a heater, he's going to make history again tonight and the Nuggets will likely be compromised by injury. LeBron has scored 28+ in four straight since the ASG, and when he scores 25+ there's almost always a correlation to at least 8+ assists (7 of last 9 times). That gets us to 33. I expect him to push for 30 tonight. He led a 40-point 4th quarter charge vs rival LAC and then cut the lowly Wizards throats in an OT "letdown game" the next night. I think he's to be shooting from all over and driving and dishing, too.

There are two ways of thinking about this game in my mind: The Lakers can't possibly lose on LeBron James 40K night (hopefully you read Friday's premium newsletter on the odds on how he gets that historic point) or this is a massive distraction, etc. Wish I had the answer but I'm betting LA simply as I doubt Jamal Murray plays with his ankle and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope is also questionable. That the Lakers are listing LeBron as the same just proves the whole NBA injury report system is broken. I will buy every Taylor Swift album on the planet and dress like her on the Early Edge (yep, likely coming back fairly soon w/Snoopy) if he doesn't play.

The Nuggets are very adept at sending messages and might consider tonight one of those situations as the Lakers have won 9 of 12, and erased a 21-point deficit in the 4th Q at midweek vs. the Clippers. For what it's worth, however, the Lake Show has only covered one of its last five, and the Nuggets enter on a five-game win streak, with message-sending romps past Sacto and the Warriors, and have beaten the Lakers seven straight, including a playoff sweep last May. Concern Saturday about status of G Jamal Murray, who rolled an ankle Thursday vs. Miami and likely a game-time decision. The Nuggets, however have already played without Murray 15 times this season, and the The Joker is very available. Play Nuggets