LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles Lakers were without LeBron James and two of their big men in Deandre Ayton and Maxi Kleber on Friday against the Indiana Pacers.

James did not finish L.A.’s 120-113 loss to the Denver Nuggets on Thursday after sustaining a left elbow contusion late in the fourth quarter when absorbing contact from Nikola Jokic and tumbling to the floor. James was also listed with left foot arthritis on the injury report.

Ayton was out with left knee soreness. He played the first four and a half minutes Thursday before exiting the game because of his left knee and did not return.

Kleber missed his third straight game with a lumbar back strain.

Without Kleber and Ayton for most of Thursday, Lakers backup center Jaxson Hayes shined with 19 points on 8-for-10 shooting and five rebounds against the Nuggets.