A.I. and the Nuggets visit Kobe in LA

Denver has lost seven straight and 17 of its last 18 at the Lakers. The Nuggets have won three of the last five contests in the series.

This is the first meeting of the season between the squads.

On Tuesday, Kyle Korver came off the bench and poured in 26 points as the Philadelphia 76ers spoiled Allen Iverson’s first game against his former team with a 108-97 win over Denver at the Pepsi Center.

Iverson, who led the Nuggets with 30 points and nine assists in the loss to Philadelphia, was acquired via a trade with the Sixers on December 19, 2006 in exchange for point guard Andre Miller, forward Joe Smith and a pair of 2007 first-round picks. The All-Star guard finished 10-of-24 from the field, but was ejected with 1:44 remaining in the fourth quarter for his second technical of the contest.

Yakhouba Diawara ended with a career-high 23 points and pulled down six boards in the loss to the Sixers for the Nuggets, who have dropped three in a row. Earl Boykins scored 13 points and Marcus Camby finished with eight points and 16 rebounds in defeat.

The Nuggets, who are just 2-4 with Iverson in the lineup, are 7-6 on the road this season. After tonight’s game, they return home for a four-game homestand. Denver will host Utah, Milwaukee, San Antonio and Houston on the upcoming stand.

Los Angeles opens a short two-game homestand. On Thursday, Kobe Bryant scored nine of his game-high 42 points in overtime, as the Lakers beat the Sacramento Kings, 132-128, at ARCO Arena.

Bryant also had 10 rebounds and nine assists, as the Lakers won despite blowing a 21-point third-quarter lead, but recovered after the Kings collapsed at the end of the fourth quarter. Brian Cook added 26 points and Luke Walton netted 16 before fouling out for the Lakers, who have won two in a row

The Lakers are 14-4 as the host this season. They are scheduled to host Dallas on Sunday and visit Memphis on Tuesday.