While the Lakers did lose, the team should feel proud that they were able to fight with so many crucial role players missing. Even rookie Bronny James saw decent game action against the Nuggets. James finished the game by playing 16 minutes for Los Angeles. During that time he scored five points and grabbed two rebounds.

The Lakers have now fallen to fifth in the Western Conference standings after losing to the Nuggets. Yet, the loss wasn't all bad for them. This game allowed Bronny James to get some real playing time. He played 16 minutes in this game, which is the most playing time he has seen in Los Angeles.

On Friday night in Colorado, the Los Angeles Lakers took on the Denver Nuggets but came up short in a 131-126 defeat. Bronny James logged 16 minutes, tallying five points, two rebounds, and one steal while going 1-for-5 from three-point range.

SportsLine's model simulated the Denver Nuggets vs. Los Angeles Lakers 10,000 times and revealed its NBA picks for Friday

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Two top-four teams in the Western Conference will battle for playoff positioning as the Denver Nuggets host the Los Angeles Lakers.