The Los Angeles Lakers are up against the Denver Nuggets tonight in the reverse fixture. They played hosts to the Nuggets last week, and it was an impressive 114-93 win for them. But tonight has been a tougher affair. At the end of the third quarter, the Nuggets lead the LeBron led Lakers squad.

However, Lakers’ forward Kyle Kuzma already had the highlight of the game during the third quarter. His hustle plays are second to none in the Lakers team, and it has helped him a lot with offensive rebounds.

After Kentavious Caldwell-Pope missed an open three, Kuzma came out of nowhere to grab the rebound but converted it into a monster putback jam over Michael Porter  Jr.

The Nuggets forward was caught by surprise and fell over after the powerful slam by Kuzma. Not only was it elite awareness by the 25-year-old but also elite athleticism. Kuzma may have been relegated to the bench, but every time he is on the floor, he gives his 100%.

Can the Lakers bounce back in the fourth quarter?

The Lakers started the game going toe to toe with the Nuggets, as the first quarter finished 33-33. LeBron had spoken about the need for a stronger start and despite the Nuggets points barrage, the Lakers kept pace with them.

However, they lost their momentum in the second quarter. The Nuggets took control and scored 40 points while restricting the Lakers to just 28.

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This gave them a solid 12 point cushion at halftime, on which they continued to build in the third quarter. Their offense has been clicking well, while the Lakers have fallen short.

By the end of the third quarter, they had an 18 point lead, one which almost looks unassailable. Losing Anthony Davis to an Achilles injury has hurt them and has derailed their offense. LeBron James and Kuzma were the only players having a strong impact on their offense, while the rest struggled.

While LeBron is shooting 50% from the field, he is 0-5 from three-point range. As a team, the Lakers shot only 24% by the end of three quarters. Unless they come up with an excellent comeback in the final 12 minutes, they are bound to lose their seven-game winning streak tonight.

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