The brilliance of Nikola Jokic’s skillset was on full display after he returned to face the Dallas Mavericks. Absent from the Nuggets lineup for some games because of personal reasons, he’s back with a bang by posting 33 points, 17 rebounds, and 10 assists. Although Dallas didn’t win the game, Jokic’s return provided a huge sigh of relief for the team. They now face the Los Angeles Lakers in a blockbuster matchup tonight. In the meantime, rookie boss JJ Redick has a key player returning to the lineup.

After missing 4 games, Rui Hachimura will return to action as his name didn’t pop in the injury report. Undoubtedly, the player’s return brings optimism for JJ Redick and the Lakers, who suffered a last-minute breakdown at the hands of the Orlando Magic. Hence, Hachimura’s return couldn’t come at a better time.

The LA side is currently 10-5, while the Nuggets stay 6th with a win/loss of 8-6. Thus, this promises to be an intriguing contest with Rui Hachimura back. He missed the last 4 games because of an ankle injury; but according to the Lakers Nation, the injury reports pose fresh issues for the Lakers. Notably, the team listed Anthony Davis probable after a left plantar fasciitis injury kept him out.

Among those missing, Jaxson Hayes is out with a right ankle sprain. LeBron James’ son, Bronny, will be out with a left heel contusion and Quincy Olivari remains on the sidelines with a right ankle sprain. Jarred Vanderbilt remains under rehab after foot surgery, while Christian Wood recovers from a left knee procedure. The Lakers are in crisis in the frontcourt if AD doesn’t appear for the high-intensity clash. Hence, Rui’s return couldn’t come at a better time with the player super-critical to the Lakers at this moment in time.

Rui Hachimura’s Lakers return promises fireworks against Jokic-led Nuggets

The Los Angeles Lakers, quite honestly, missed the forward in the last few games. Who would have imagined the player to establish himself as a critical component of the Lakers’ recipe?

In the ten games he appeared in, Hachimura averaged 12.7 points, always getting into open positions to shoot the ball. The player’s aggressive approach gives JJ Redick an option on the boards, with him claiming 6.1 rebounds, the same number he managed in the 2019-20 rookie season with the Washington Wizards. There’s a change in the system to how he plays these days.

He hustles for the ball, making contributions on the defensive end of the court as well. He’s also shooting a career-best 50% from the three-point line. Safe to say, one who watches the Lakers game regularly, Rui Hachimura has rapidly become the X-factor.

The Denver Nuggets miss a few key players with Jokic picking up where he left off to be the only blessing. Notably, Vlatko Čančar is out for the foreseeable future with a knee injury. In the meantime, Aaron Gordon aggravated his right calf strain injury against the Raptors. He remains a notable personality who is a key miss for the Nuggets.

It will be fascinating to watch the King and the Joker go head-to-head. They have ambitions to win the NBA championship NOW, and triumphing in this game could boost the team’s confidence. Let’s see who comes on top!