5 must-see NBA games in December include a lot of Los Angeles Lakers

LA Clippers Kawhi Leonard. Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images)
LA Clippers Kawhi Leonard. Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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NBA Denver Nuggets Will Barton
Denver Nuggets Will Barton. (Photo by Robert Laberge/Getty Images) /

3a and 3b. Los Angeles Lakers vs. Denver Nuggets

Dec. 3 at Denver, Dec. 22 at Los Angeles

The Denver Nuggets and Los Angeles Lakers are currently at the top of the Western Conference, with Denver’s 13-3 record bested only by the 16-2 mark of the Lakers.

These games will be the first two of four meetings between the teams, with the second game in Denver set for Feb. 12 and the close of the season series scheduled for Los Angeles on March 15.

The Nuggets have won the season series each of the last two seasons, taking two of three meetings each year, with the Lakers not winning a season series from Denver since going 2-1 in the lockout-shortened 2011-12 season.

Though Los Angeles leads the all-time series with Denver in the regular season 105-70, the Lakers are just 7-18 against the Nuggets since the start of the 2012-13 season. Denver’s seven straight victories over Los Angeles from Dec. 26, 2012, through Nov. 23, 2014, is its longest string of wins over the Lakers.

The teams last met on March 6, with Denver taking a 66-49 halftime lead and cruising to a 115-99 victory at Staples Center behind 23 points from Will Barton. LeBron James led the Lakers with 31 points.