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at 
(11-16)Tuesday, December 22, 2015, 6:00 PM PDT
Pepsi Center, Denver, CO
Referees: TBA
Line: Nuggets -10
GAME PREVIEW: LAKERS AT NUGGETS
By KEVIN CHROUST, NBA.com
Kobe Bryant wasn't going to make enough of a difference in a 40-point loss over the weekend to change the outcome, but he could be of some use against a lesser opponent coming off its worst defensive effort of the season.
The Los Angeles Lakers visit the Denver Nuggets on Tuesday night, and Bryant is expected to play after missing a game with a sore shoulder.
The soreness was in the same shoulder in which Bryant suffered a torn rotator cuff last season, but he doesn't think it will be a long-term problem. He sat out Saturday's 118-78 loss at Oklahoma City.
"That was pretty heavy-duty surgery I had this summer, so I think it's kind of logical to expect it to be sore at some point," Bryant said. "I've just got to get ahead of it, just rest it and come back."
The odd thing is his shot has been more consistent recently, though there wasn't really anywhere for it to go but up. In his first 17 games, Bryant never shot better than 46.7 percent and collectively was at 29.6. In his last six, he's reached at least 50.0 percent three times and is at 48.9.
Part of that might be shot selection. He's taken 14.7 shots in the past six after averaging 17.9 to start the season, and his scoring has increased to 18.8 points per game in those six after being at 15.9 prior.
After scoring 22 points in Thursday's 107-87 home loss to Houston, he's averaging 23.0 in his last three.
"My legs felt lively and they felt springy," Bryant said. "I don't know where it came from, but it was there. I can't really explain it. I feel like I can maintain this, but it's always a give-and-take with Father Time. Sometimes he lets me lead the way, and sometimes he leads the way, so you just kind of roll with it.
"It's a good idea not to mock Father Time. So I'll just say that as long as he lets me lead the way, I'm cool with that."
It was still a 20-point loss, and Los Angeles' last four defeats have come by an average of 27.7 with a home win over Milwaukee mixed in.
The Lakers (4-23) came a bit closer in their first meeting with Denver, falling 120-109 on Nov. 3. Jordan Clarkson matched his career high with 30 points while Kenneth Faried scored a season-high 28 for the Nuggets.
The power forward has gone 20 of 27 and averaged 28.5 points in his last two games against the Lakers. Denver has won 10 of the last 11 meetings while averaging 117.1 points.
That kind of scoring didn't do the Nuggets (11-16) any good in Sunday's 130-125 home defeat to New Orleans, which came despite Will Barton scoring a career-high 32 and going 7 of 11 from 3-point range. Coach Michael Malone wasn't handing out individual compliments.
"Some guys think they had good games tonight, think they had good games because they put numbers up," said Malone, whose team allowed a season-high 56.4 percent shooting. "Most of those guys gave up what they got. I've been in the league 15 years. I've not been a part of probably the worst defensive effort than what I saw tonight."
The Nuggets have been especially bad defending the 3 lately, allowing their last four opponents to hit 43.4 percent.
"Embarrassing. That's what I would say. I would say it that way," Malone said. "You give up 130 points. You give four, 30-plus point quarters. There is no excuse."
Rookie Emmanuel Mudiay (sprained right ankle) has missed the last four games and isn't expected back Tuesday.
http://www.nba.com/games/20151222/LALDEN/gameinfo.html
