The Los Angeles Lakers have long been the nemesis of the Denver Nuggets. Historically it might have been because of ring envy, but lately it might be because both teams have superstars known the world over.
Well Friday night might be the last time Carmelo Anthony and Kobe Bryant meet at the Pepsi Center. With trade winds swirling, each day Nugget fans wake up expecting to hear news that their superstar is leaving on a jet plane, and he doesn't know when he'll be back again.
Putting that aside, what you have tonight is a fiercely contested rivalry between two teams who would meet in the first round of the playoffs, if the season ended today.
The Nuggets (24-17) are winners of four of their last five and have bragging rights in the only meeting between the two teams this season.
Meanwhile LA (31-13) has dropped two of their past three after rattling off seven straight wins.
Kobe leads the Lakers in scoring with a 25.1 points per game average. While Melo is tops on the Nuggets, pouring in 23.5 a game.
The game tips tonight at 8:30 p.m. MT and can be seen nationally on ESPN.