NBA · Final

Nuggets Defeat Lakers 121-106 in NBA Clash

Denver Nuggets3-2

121

Los Angeles Lakers2-3

106

Friday, October 16, 2026, 10:30 PM ET · crypto.com Arena

Quick answers

Who won Denver Nuggets vs Los Angeles Lakers?

Denver Nuggets beat Los Angeles Lakers 121-106 at crypto.com Arena on October 16, 2026.

Who was favored in Denver Nuggets vs Los Angeles Lakers?

Los Angeles Lakers were the favorite at DraftKings, moneyline -148 (about 60% implied). The underdog won.

The Denver Nuggets secured a decisive victory against the Los Angeles Lakers, finishing the game with a score of 121-106. This result marks a significant moment in the early NBA season, as the Nuggets continue to demonstrate their prowess on the court. The game took place at the crypto.com Arena, where the Lakers, despite their home advantage, struggled to keep pace with the visiting team.

The Lakers entered this matchup with a home record of 2-3 and had been averaging 109.0 points while allowing 111.7 points over their last ten games. Their recent form has not been ideal, as they are on a one-game losing streak, having lost to the Golden State Warriors just days prior with a score of 89-101. In contrast, the Nuggets boasted a better away record of 3-2, averaging 125.1 points while allowing 119.2 points in their last ten outings. They were also coming off a loss to the LA Clippers, which ended a strong run where they had won eight of their last ten games.

In terms of home versus away performance, the Lakers have struggled at home with a record of 3-2, while the Nuggets have excelled on the road with a 5-1 record. This contrast in performance added an extra layer of intrigue to the matchup. The teams have faced each other three times this season, with the Lakers holding a 2-1 advantage in their head-to-head meetings, including a narrow victory on March 15, where they edged out the Nuggets 127-125.

Injury concerns were a factor for both teams leading into the game. The Lakers had several players listed as day-to-day, including Jarred Vanderbilt, Cameron Carr, Collin Sexton, and Adou Thiero, all of whom were uncertain for the matchup. The Nuggets also faced challenges, with Aaron Gordon listed as day-to-day due to rest and Julian Strawther ruled out with a knee injury. Spencer Jones was also day-to-day with a hamstring issue, adding to the uncertainty surrounding the Nuggets' lineup.

The betting market reflected the competitive nature of the game, with DraftKings setting the odds at LAL -3.5, indicating that the Lakers were favored to win by that margin. The total points line was set at 231.5, with odds of -105.0 for the over and -115.0 for the under. This suggests that the market anticipated a high-scoring affair, given both teams' offensive capabilities.

As the game unfolded, the Nuggets quickly established control, showcasing their offensive depth and efficiency. Key players like Marvin Bagley III contributed significantly, making crucial baskets in the fourth quarter, including a driving layup that pushed the Nuggets further ahead. Alpha Diallo also made a notable impact, scoring multiple free throws that helped solidify the Nuggets' lead.

The conditions during the game were typical for an indoor NBA matchup, with both teams playing in a controlled environment, which often favors high-scoring games. Fans in attendance witnessed a display of skill and strategy, with the Nuggets executing their plays effectively while the Lakers struggled to find their rhythm.

Viewers should have noted the contrasting styles of play, with the Nuggets leveraging their speed and shooting accuracy, while the Lakers attempted to find their footing amidst injury challenges and inconsistent performances. The final score of 121-106 not only reflects the Nuggets' dominance in this game but also highlights the ongoing challenges the Lakers face as they strive to improve their standing in the league.

What we said beforehand

The upcoming matchup between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Denver Nuggets at crypto.com Arena promises to be an intriguing encounter, as both teams enter the game with identical records of 2-2. This fixture is particularly notable as it marks the beginning of their series, which will continue on December 19. The Lakers are coming off a recent loss to the Golden State Warriors, where they fell 101-89, while the Nuggets also lost their last game against the LA Clippers, suffering a 122-110 defeat. Both teams have shown flashes of promise but have struggled to find consistency early in the season.

In their last five games, the Lakers have recorded two wins and three losses. Their victories came against the Sacramento Kings, where they won 114-110, and again against the Kings with a more decisive 127-103 win. However, they also faced defeats against the Golden State Warriors twice, with scores of 124-98 and 101-89, and lost to the Oklahoma City Thunder 115-110. Over these five games, the Lakers averaged 109.0 points scored per game while allowing 111.7 points, indicating a slight defensive vulnerability.

On the other hand, the Nuggets have also won two and lost three of their last five games. Their wins came against the Utah Jazz, where they triumphed 117-106, and against the Chicago Bulls, winning a close contest 133-128. However, they were defeated by the Minnesota Timberwolves 110-98, the Utah Jazz 109-97, and the LA Clippers 122-110. In these five games, the Nuggets averaged 125.1 points scored per game but allowed 119.2 points, showcasing their offensive strength but also exposing defensive weaknesses.

When it comes to home and away performance, the Lakers have a home record of 3-2, while the Nuggets boast a strong away record of 3-1. The Lakers' scoring average at home is 111.8 points, with an average of 109.0 points allowed. Conversely, the Nuggets have averaged 117.0 points scored on the road, allowing 116.6 points, which suggests a high-scoring affair could be on the horizon.

In terms of head-to-head matchups, the Lakers hold a 2-1 advantage over the Nuggets in their most recent meetings during the 2026 season. The last encounter took place on March 15, 2026, where the Lakers edged out the Nuggets 127-125 in a thrilling contest. Prior to that, the Nuggets defeated the Lakers 120-113 on March 6, and the Lakers secured a win on January 21 with a score of 115-107.

Injury concerns could play a significant role in this matchup. The Lakers have three players listed as day-to-day: Cameron Carr (undisclosed), Collin Sexton (lower leg), and Adou Thiero (undisclosed). The Nuggets have Aaron Gordon also listed as day-to-day due to rest, while Julian Strawther is out with a knee injury, and Spencer Jones is day-to-day with a hamstring issue. The availability of these players could impact the strategies employed by both teams.

As for the betting lines, DraftKings has set the Lakers as 3.5-point favorites with a moneyline of -148. The Nuggets are priced at +124 on the moneyline. The total points over/under is set at 230.5, reflecting expectations for a potentially high-scoring game given both teams' recent offensive outputs.

Conditions for the game are expected to be standard for an indoor basketball matchup, with no significant weather factors to consider. Fans should watch for the performance of key players, particularly how the Lakers' home advantage plays out against the Nuggets' offensive capabilities. The matchup will likely hinge on which team can better execute their game plan while managing their respective injury situations.

Odds

Book	Spread	Total	Moneyline
DraftKings	LAL -3.5	231.5 o -105 / u -115	Denver Nuggets +124 · Los Angeles Lakers -148

What these prices pay on $100 · What these numbers mean

Injury report

Jarred VanderbiltDay-To-DayUndisclosedLos Angeles Lakers
Cameron CarrDay-To-DayUndisclosedLos Angeles Lakers
Collin SextonDay-To-DayLower LegLos Angeles Lakers
Adou ThieroDay-To-DayUndisclosedLos Angeles Lakers
Aaron GordonDay-To-DayRestDenver Nuggets
Julian StrawtherOutKneeDenver Nuggets
Spencer JonesDay-To-DayHamstringDenver Nuggets

Leaders

PointsAustin Reaves19Los Angeles Lakers
AssistsSandro Mamukelashvili4Los Angeles Lakers
ReboundsSandro Mamukelashvili8Los Angeles Lakers
PointsJamal Murray21Denver Nuggets
AssistsNikola Jokic8Denver Nuggets
ReboundsMarvin Bagley III8Denver Nuggets

Recent form

Los Angeles Lakers

Last 10: 5-5Streak L1109 scored · 111.7 allowed per game3-2 at home

L89-101vs Golden State WarriorsOct 14
W114-110vs Sacramento KingsOct 9
L98-124at Golden State WarriorsOct 7
W127-103at Sacramento KingsOct 6
W131-107vs Utah JazzApr 13
W101-73vs Phoenix SunsApr 11
W119-103at Golden State WarriorsApr 10
L87-123vs Oklahoma City ThunderApr 8
L128-134at Dallas MavericksApr 5
L96-139at Oklahoma City ThunderApr 3

Denver Nuggets

Last 10: 8-2Streak L1125.1 scored · 119.2 allowed per game3-1 away

L110-122at LA ClippersOct 15
W133-128vs Chicago BullsOct 12
W117-106at Utah JazzOct 7
L97-109vs Utah JazzOct 4
W128-118at San Antonio SpursApr 13
W127-107vs Oklahoma City ThunderApr 11
W136-119vs Memphis GrizzliesApr 9
W137-132vs Portland Trail BlazersApr 7
W136-134vs San Antonio SpursApr 4
W130-117at Utah JazzApr 2

Standings

Team	Games behind	Lost	Streak	Win %	Won
Utah	-	1	W2	.750	3
Portland	-	1	L1	.750	3
Denver	0.5	2	W1	.600	3
Minnesota	1	3	L2	.500	3
Oklahoma City	2.5	4	L1	.200	1
Golden State	-	2	W3	.667	4
LA Clippers	0.5	1	W1	.667	2
LA Lakers	1.5	3	L2	.400	2
Phoenix	2.5	4	L2	.200	1
Sacramento	3.5	5	L5	.000	0

Box score

Stat	Denver Nuggets	Los Angeles Lakers
Field goals	46-79	35-82
Field goal %	58	43
Three-pointers	11-27	17-43
Three-point %	41	40
Free throws	18-25	19-25
Free throw %	72	76
Rebounds	45	39
Offensive rebounds	8	11
Defensive rebounds	37	28
Assists	32	26
Steals	12	5
Blocks	6	4
Turnovers	14	14
Team turnovers	0	0
Technical fouls	0	0
Technical fouls, total	0	0
Flagrant fouls	1	0
Points off turnovers	27	16
Fast-break points	11	8
Points in the paint	56	30
Fouls	21	22
Largest lead	17	2
Lead changes	1	1
Time in front	96	1

How the scoring went

3rd Quarter80-70DeMar DeRozan makes 10-foot turnaround jump shot
3rd Quarter83-70Trevon Brazile makes 27-foot three point jumper (Jamal Murray assists)
3rd Quarter83-72Austin Reaves makes 14-foot pullup jump shot
3rd Quarter85-72Christian Braun makes layup (Nikola Jokic assists)
3rd Quarter86-72Christian Braun makes free throw 1 of 1
3rd Quarter86-75Sandro Mamukelashvili makes 23-foot three point jumper (Kevon Looney assists)
3rd Quarter86-78Sandro Mamukelashvili makes 25-foot three point step back jumpshot (Bronny James assists)
3rd Quarter88-78Jamal Murray makes 15-foot step back jumpshot (Nikola Jokic assists)
3rd Quarter88-80Sandro Mamukelashvili makes running dunk (Quentin Grimes assists)
3rd Quarter88-83Quentin Grimes makes 26-foot three point jumper (Sandro Mamukelashvili assists)
4th Quarter88-86Sandro Mamukelashvili makes 22-foot three point jumper (Quentin Grimes assists)
4th Quarter90-86Marvin Bagley III makes dunk (DeMar DeRozan assists)
4th Quarter92-86DeMar DeRozan makes 12-foot jumper (Tyus Jones assists)
4th Quarter92-87Austin Reaves makes free throw 1 of 2
4th Quarter92-88Austin Reaves makes free throw 2 of 2
4th Quarter94-88DeMar DeRozan makes 13-foot turnaround jump shot
4th Quarter94-91Quentin Grimes makes 25-foot three pointer
4th Quarter96-91Bryce Hopkins makes 7-foot driving floating jump shot (Tyus Jones assists)
4th Quarter97-91Bryce Hopkins makes free throw 2 of 2
4th Quarter100-91Marvin Bagley III makes 26-foot three point jumper (Tyus Jones assists)
4th Quarter102-91Marvin Bagley III makes tip shot
4th Quarter102-93Quentin Grimes makes 1-foot layup (Walker Kessler assists)
4th Quarter104-93DeMar DeRozan makes dunk (Tyus Jones assists)
4th Quarter104-95Jaden Hardy makes 11-foot driving floating jump shot
4th Quarter106-95Marvin Bagley III makes 9-foot floating jump shot (DeMar DeRozan assists)
4th Quarter106-97Matisse Thybulle makes layup (Walker Kessler assists)
4th Quarter106-100Jaden Hardy makes 25-foot three pointer (Chris Manon assists)
4th Quarter106-102Chris Manon makes layup (Dalton Knecht assists)
4th Quarter109-102Alpha Diallo makes 23-foot three point jumper (Tyus Jones assists)
4th Quarter109-105Jaden Hardy makes 26-foot three pointer (Chris Manon assists)
4th Quarter111-105Bryce Hopkins makes driving dunk (Tyus Jones assists)
4th Quarter112-105Cam Whitmore makes free throw 1 of 2
4th Quarter113-105Cam Whitmore makes free throw 2 of 2
4th Quarter115-105Marvin Bagley III makes driving layup (Tyus Jones assists)
4th Quarter116-105Alpha Diallo makes free throw 1 of 2
4th Quarter117-105Alpha Diallo makes free throw 2 of 2
4th Quarter118-105Alpha Diallo makes free throw 1 of 2
4th Quarter119-105Alpha Diallo makes free throw 2 of 2
4th Quarter121-105Marvin Bagley III makes tip shot
4th Quarter121-106Chris Manon makes free throw 2 of 2