"The last thing on my mind right now is the Lakers," Popovich snapped.

"Because the world might end," a reporter jokingly suggested.

"Hopefully," Popovich deadpanned, "before we play them."

Yes, the Lakers are good. The defending Western Conference champions again sit atop the conference, and tonight they host the Nuggets, but hardly the same Nuggets team they played in the 2008 playoffs - or even on Nov. 1.

That night - Lakers 104, Nuggets 97 - featured Allen Iverson in powder blue for the last time. With Chauncey Billups, the Nuggets are 7-1. And seven days after defeating the defending champion Celtics in Boston, Denver has the opportunity to win at Los Angeles.

"I think Cleveland and L.A. have proven to be the best teams in the first 10 games," Denver coach George Karl said, "but I think it's fun to have the challenge, get nervous, and continue - hopefully - a positive process of getting better and moving in a better direction."

Is it possible that these Lakers are better than last year's Lakers? Big man Andrew Bynum is healthy, entering Thursday with 10.8 points per game and 8.9 rebounds, an ideal complement to Pau Gasol, who we all remember from the Lakers' first-round sweep of Denver. Lamar Odom, who probably would start for most NBA teams, is now the Lakers' sixth man, while the "seventh man," Trevor Ariza, has risen to become one of the West's top reserve defenders.

But any conversation about the Lakers starts with one man - Vladimir Radmanovic.

Just kidding. Kobe Bryant remains the thumping heart of the Lakers, and the reigning MVP averages 24.3 points and his fewest turnovers per game (2.67) in the past five years.

"One of the main things is to make sure we can control Kobe," Nuggets guard Anthony Carter said, "try not to let him get going, and try to make the other guys beat us. But it's going to be a tough night."

It's likely power forward Kenyon Martin will start out guarding Bryant, an assignment he cherished in the playoffs last season and in the Nov. 1 matchup (Bryant finished that night with 33 points on 11-for-24 shooting).

Martin is coming off his dazzling defensive effort against Tim Duncan and San Antonio on Wednesday, and he and the Nuggets have become a defensive squad to be reckoned with this season, stemming from the early days of training camp when, as Iverson said, "We didn't do any offense."

Nuggets opponents have shot only 42.5 percent from the field. Just four teams' opponents have shot worse, and two of those four are the Celtics and Lakers.

"It's a testament to how hard we've worked," said Martin, a co-captain with Carmelo Anthony. "And I think we're getting better each and every game that we played."

Benjamin Hochman:

303-954-1294 or bhochman@denverpost.com