The Denver Nuggets get a much-needed victory today against the Los Angeles Lakers. They win their 25th road game of the season, which extends their franchise record. With this win, the Nuggets move into the 5th spot with a half-game advantage on Utah. Denver hands the Lakers a crushing blow as they lose their 6th in a row and fall 1.5 games back of the Spurs for the final play-in spot.
The Nuggets started the contest with multiple turnovers, but the offense found its groove and erupted once again. Three starters scored 20+ points today. Barton had 25, Gordon 24, and Jokic 38. That is the 8th time this season Jokic has had a stat line of 30+ points, 15+ rebounds, and 5+ assists which is the most in the NBA. Gordon has also put up 20+ points in five of his last six games, and the efficiency from Barton rekindled some confidence back into that starting lineup. The Nuggets will look for their 5th win in 6 games when they battle the Spurs on Tuesday at 7:00 PM MT.
1st Quarter
- Jokic turned it over in Denver’s first two possessions as Dwight Howard scored the first points with a hook shot. An Anthony Davis lob dunk and a Malik Monk layup gave the Lakers a 6-1 lead until Jokic cut it in half with a layup
- After another Denver turnover, Davis scored four in a row and forced a Malone timeout. That gave the Lakers a 12-5 advantage as the Lakers shot 6-10 early with six assists compared to just one for Denver
- Jokic sank a mid-range jumper following the timeout, then JaMychal and Gordon followed with four straight to close the Laker lead to 14-11. A Howard free throw plus a Davis layup extended the lead back to six, but Jokic answered with a hook shot
- Morris glided to the rim for a layup, but Davis answered with a three-point play plus a technical free throw which expanded LA’s lead to 21-15. Then Bones Hyland entered the game and found Davon Reed for a floater, but the Lakers countered with an Augustin three and an Anthony mid-range jumper
- Boogie and Gordon combined for four consecutive points, and although Westbrook answered with a pull-up mid-range, Boogie dropped in a hook shot to get within four
Score: 28-24 Lakers
Scoring leaders: Davis - 12, Jokic - 10
2nd Quarter
- Gordon’s layup and a Bones mid-range tied the game at 28 until Gabriel and Westbrook scored four in a row. Boogie would answer with a layup, but Anthony matched it with another mid-range jumper
- Reed assisted Gordon for a nice one-handed lob dunk, and then Gordon knocked in a three to give the Nuggets their first lead of the game 35-34. Westbrook and Cousins exchanged baskets after the timeout, but Gabriel and Anthony captured the lead back with four straight
- Talen Horton-Tucker extended the Laker lead back to six with an and-one layup, but Jokic responded with a mid-range jumper at the other end. Anthony Davis then drove to the rim for another and-one layup, and Westbrook followed with another layup
- Barton scored his first points of the game with a layup, and five straight from Gordon and Bones cut the lead to just three, 48-45. Bradley and Bones then exchanged threes on the following possessions
- Monk scored four in a row after a timeout, but Gordon responded with his second triple of the night. Two Jokic free throws brought Denver within one at 55-54, but Westbrook answered again with a layup
- After a Davis dunk, Gordon sank a mid-range fadeaway, and Barton added a three. Westbrook slammed a dunk with 7 seconds left, but Monk fouled Barton on a three-point attempt as the buzzer sounded and Barton made all three
Score: 62-61 Nuggets
Scoring leaders: Gordon - 18, Davis - 17
3rd Quarter
- Jokic started the quarter with a fadeaway jumper, but the Lakers replied with a Bradley three and a Westbrook layup. Barton and Monk then traded threes along with one Howard free throw for a 70-67 Laker lead
- Howard then scored four in a row in the paint, and Jokic replied with a hook shot. Westbrook sank a mid-range to extend their lead to seven, but Jokic quieted the crowd with a layup
- Then Bradley scored a 12 footer, but the Nuggets answered with a Gordon three, a Bones layup, and a Jokic floater to tie the game at 78
- Monk drove through the lane for a dunk after a Lakers timeout, and Davis followed with a layup. Bones then found Barton for his second three of the game, but Davis responded with an and-one layup
- Jokic’s layup and Reed’s three gave the Nuggets a 86-85 lead until Davis scored again with a dunk. Barton quickly answered with a layup, and Melo matched it with a fadeaway mid-range, but Barton responded with a deep triple
- Jokic scored another layup for a 93-89 Nuggets lead, but Melo knocked in another mid-range jumper. Jokic then countered with a three which forced a Laker timeout
Score: 95-94 Nuggets
Scoring leaders: Jokic - 28, Davis - 24
4th Quarter
- Melo initiated the quarter with another mid-range jumper, but the Nuggets would answer with a Reed three. After a couple of scoreless possessions, Melo captured the lead back with a three, but Boogie responded with a mid-range jumper
- Horton-Tucker and Boogie exchanged baskets as Denver maintained a one-point lead, 102-101. Gordon then made a tip shot, but Johnson tied it up at 104 with a three
- Boogie played bully ball again for a layup, and another three from Barton extended Denver’s lead to 109-104. Jokic followed with four in a row, but in between, Horton-Tucker nailed a mid-range jumper
- Then Davon Reed stole the inbound pass and got fouled for two free throws. Another Laker turnover gave Morris two more free throws as the Nuggets acquired their largest lead of the night, 117-106
- Davis knocked in a tough hook shot and made two free throws on the next possession. Barton then responded with a three off a Joker assist
- Westbrook drove to the rack for an and-one layup which cut the lead to seven, and after a Nuggets timeout, Westbrook converted two free throws.
- Jokic grabbed a Barton missed three and put it back for two as Denver stretched their lead to eight
- Melo made a pull-up jumper with 50 seconds left, but two Morris free throws sealed the game for Denver
Score: 129-118 Nuggets
Stat leaders
Points: Jokic - 38
Rebounds: Jokic - 18
Assists: Morris - 10
Silent hero of the game: Will Barton - 25 points on 8-12 shooting and 6-8 from behind the arc