There is no reason to wait until the Western Conference Finals this time around. The Lakers and Nuggets are going to meet in the first round of the 2024 NBA Playoffs.

Los Angeles punched its ticket to the postseason Tuesday with a Play-In Tournament win in New Orleans. A balanced scoring attack helped the Lakers survive the Pelicans’ furious comeback attempt, giving LA the No. 7 seed in the Western Conference bracket.

Denver hasn’t played since it defeated Memphis in its regular-season finale Sunday. The Nuggets had the same record as the top-seeded Thunder, but Oklahoma City finished above Denver in the standings because of the head-to-head tiebreaker.

If recent history is any indication, this is a terrific matchup for the Nuggets. They have won eight straight games against the Lakers, including a sweep in the 2023 Western Conference Finals.

“Obviously, it’s a great team that we’re playing against. A team that won the championship, so they’ve been in a lot of big games and know what they want to get to late in games,” Lakers star LeBron James said. “So, we just have to be very disciplined and have our mind into throughout the course of 48 minutes or however long it takes.

“It’s going to be challenging, but that’s what the postseason is all about. It should be.”

Here is everything you need to know about Lakers vs. Nuggets, including the tipoff time for Game 1.

What time is Lakers vs. Nuggets today?

• Date: Saturday, April 20
• Time: 8:30 p.m. ET | 6:30 p.m. MT | 5:30 p.m. PT

Lakers vs. Nuggets will tip off around 8:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, April 20. The game will be played at Ball Arena in Denver.

What channel is Lakers vs. Nuggets on today?

• Date: Saturday, April 20
• TV channel: ABC
• Live stream: Sling

Lakers vs. Nuggets will air on ABC in the United States and TSN 3/4 in Canada. U.S. viewers can also stream the game on Sling.

Sling is the home for sports fans, as it offers a wide a range of channels. You can always cheer for your favorite teams with channels like ESPN, TBS, TNT, NFL Network, FS1 and more.

In the United Kingdom, select playoff games are available to watch on TNT Sports and stream on Discovery+. In India, fans can catch select playoff games on Sports 18 and JioCinema (check local listings). Games can also be streamed via NBA League Pass.

If Lakers vs. Nuggets is not available to watch live in your location or if you’re traveling abroad, you can use a Virtual Private Network (VPN). VPNs provide a secure and private online connection, allowing you to bypass geographical restrictions to access your favorite streaming services.

Lakers vs. Nuggets tickets

Tickets for NBA Playoff games are now available on StubHub. You can check out seating charts for games by clicking on the link below.

BUY NOW: Get tickets for 2024 NBA Playoffs on StubHub

Lakers vs. Nuggets odds via BetMGM

Denver is a 7.5-point favorite heading into Game 1. For the full market, check out BetMGM, an authorized gaming operator of the NBA.

Lakers vs. Nuggets schedule

Here is the complete schedule for the NBA Playoff series between the Lakers and Nuggets:

(7) Lakers vs. (2) Nuggets

*If necessary