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Lakers News: Nuggets Will Start These 5 On Kobe Bryant Statue Night

There's one unfamiliar face in the first five.

As consistent, stable, and dangerous as any team in the league, the mighty 36-16 Denver Nuggets will trot out four of the same five starters who defeated your now-27-25 Los Angeles Lakers in four games during the 2023 Western Conference Finals: point guard Jamal Murray, shooting guard Justin Holiday, small forward Michael Porter Jr., power forward Aaron Gordon, and center Nikola Jokic. 

Holiday is the new name in the picture, as he'll replace former Laker Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (hamstring). 

This group has been terrific whenever on the floor together, posting top-ranked net ratings each of the past 2 seasons. With four 40% 3-point shooters and a versatile power forward in Aaron Gordon, this is a complete group that poses a real threat on both sides of the ball. 

Los Angeles will look to end the streak of having lost their last five contest against Denver on the night the team debuted its first of three proposed Kobe Bryant statues, but they'll have to do so without a key starter.