LOS ANGELES — The Lakers started Luka Dončić, Austin Reaves, Matisse Thybulle, Ziaire Williams and Walker Kessler in the preseason finale, and Denver spent the night testing every one of them. The Nuggets beat Los Angeles 121-106 on Friday at Crypto.com Arena. The Lakers’ only lead was 2-0, and it lasted 37 seconds.
Asked whether that group will start the season opener against the Warriors, JJ Redick said there was “nothing definitive for next week.” Friday did not clear anything up.
Denver sets the tone
The starting five shared the floor for the first five minutes, and Denver outscored them 17-8 before Los Angeles made its first substitution. The Nuggets ripped off a 20-6 burst from 4-4 to 24-10, and Nikola Jokić helped himself to a three and a floater in the middle of it. Two Lakers turnovers ended up as steals for the Joker. He always seems to be in the right place at the right time. Every time.
Williams and Dončić flip the script
Los Angeles answered. Down 44-28 in the second quarter, the Lakers went on a 20-6 run in under six minutes and got it to 50-48.
Williams scored 10 of the 20 on two threes, two free throws and an alley-oop dunk from Dončić.
Dončić added seven, including a turnaround fadeaway three from the corner that looked like an all star weekend trick shot. That doesn’t include a long range logo ball that Dončić effortlessly throws up from time to time. Here’s the kicker though. They go in!
Johnson goes, Mamu takes over
Denver pushed it to 73-61 early in the third, and the Lakers called a timeout to try and slow the bleeding. Out of it, they went on a 7-0 run: a Thybulle floater, then two Reaves free throws after Cameron Johnson was ejected for a flagrant-2 foul on him with 6:15 left, then a Reaves pull-up three. It was 73-68. The Lakeshow was chipping away.
Denver answered with a 13-4 run and led 86-72 with 3:18 to go.
That is when Sandro Mamukelashvili took over. The Lakers went on a 14-2 run that stretched across the quarter break and made it 88-86 early in the fourth. Mamukelashvili scored 11 of the 14 on three threes and a dunk, and he assisted on Quentin Grimes’ three for the rest.
He finished with 15 points, eight rebounds and four assists in 20:39, with no turnovers, no fouls and a team-best plus-6. This was his last chance to make a case for a bigger role, and he made it.
Bagley and the bench close it
Jokić and Jamal Murray sat the entire fourth quarter, and it hardly mattered. Marvin Bagley III scored all 13 of his points in the fourth, DeMar DeRozan added a dunk and two jumpers, and Denver answered every Lakers push.
What it means for the opener
It was only the preseason. Dončić played 18 minutes, Jokić played 30, and nobody should read too much into October. But Redick has until next week to decide who starts, and Friday gave him plenty to chew on: starters who were outscored in their first five minutes together, a defense that gave up 56 in the paint, and a reserve forward who keeps forcing the conversation.
The Lakers open the regular season Wednesday against the same Warriors team that erased a 20-point deficit on them last Tuesday.
Final: Denver Nuggets 121, Los Angeles Lakers 106
Notable Stats of the Game
Austin Reaves (LAL): 19 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists
Luka Dončić (LAL): 15 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists
Sandro Mamukelashvili (LAL): 15 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assists
Jamal Murray (DEN): 21 points, 3 rebounds, 6 assists
Nikola Jokić (DEN): 17 points, 6 rebounds, 8 assists
Christian Braun (DEN): 16 points, 6 rebounds, 1 assist
Upcoming Game for the Lakers
Golden State Warriors (0-0) @ Los Angeles Lakers (0-0)
Date: Wednesday, October 21, 2026
Location: Crypto.com Arena • Los Angeles, CA.
Tip-Off: 7:00 PM PT
