The Los Angeles Lakers look for their third consecutive win on Saturday afternoon as they host the Denver Nuggets at Staples Center, and center Andrew Bynum returns for his first game of the season. Bynum served a four-game suspension for a hit on J.J. Barea during the playoffs last season. Here are the relevant details of Saturday's contest:
Records: Lakers (2-2), Nuggets (2-1)
Location: Staples Center, downtown Los Angeles
Time: 12:30 p.m.
TV: Fox Sports West, with Bill Macdonald and Stu Lantz on the call.
Welcome Back: Bynum averaged 12.5 points, 11.5 rebounds, and two blocks in two games against Denver last season.
Leading Scorers: Kobe Bryant has led the Lakers in scoring in all four games and is averaging 27.8 points per game this season. He needs just 21 points to become the sixth player in NBA history with 28,000 career points. Ty Lawson leads the Nuggets in scoring so far this season, averaging 21.0 points per contest.
Rare Afternoon: This is a rare Saturday afternoon game, one of just two on the schedule for the Lakers at Staples Center this season. The Lakers also play New Orleans on March 31 at 12:30 p.m. PST. The Lakers usually don't play Saturday home games at all, but with the lockout-truncated season exceptions had to be made.
History: The Lakers have beaten the Nuggets in seven of their last 10 meetings at Staples Center, but lost in their last meeting in Los Angeles, a 95-90 win on April 3, 2011. The Lakers are 4-6 in their last 10 regular season meetings with Denver.
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