Field Level Media
Mar 14, 2018
The Los Angeles Lakers extracted a measure of revenge on the Denver Nuggets and guard Jamal Murray on Tuesday night, rallying in the fourth quarter for a 112-103 victory over the Western Conference playoff contender in Los Angeles.
The win came four days after Murray drew the ire of Lakers players and coaches while celebrating Denver's 125-116 home win over Los Angeles.
Lakers fans booed Murray every time he touched the ball early in the rematch, but the 21-year-old was able to overcome it on an 18-point night.
Beginning a stretch of eight of nine games on the road, the Nuggets held the Lakers scoreless for 5 1/2 minutes in the third quarter to build as much as a 13-point lead.
But the Lakers finished the period on a 10-2 run to get within 82-77, and finally overtook the visitors 90-89 on a 3-pointer by Lonzo Ball with 7:40 to go.
Isaiah Thomas and Kyle Kuzma added jumpers to increase the Los Angeles lead to five, and the Nuggets fought an unsuccessful uphill battle the rest of the way.
Kuzma and Julius Randle had 26 points apiece and Thomas 23 for the Lakers, who rode the momentum of Sunday's 127-113 win over Cleveland to a second consecutive win.
Kuzma and Randle completed double-doubles with 13 rebounds apiece.
Kuzma (five) and Thomas (four) combined for nine 3-pointers for the Lakers, who outscored the Nuggets 45-39 from beyond the arc.
Brook Lopez contributed 17 points and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope 10 for Los Angeles, while Ball had nine rebounds, a game-high eight assists, three steals and two blocks to go with five points.
Wilson Chandler had 26 points and 10 rebounds to lead the Nuggets, who return home to face Detroit on Thursday before embarking on a seven-game trip.
Nikola Jokic, who recorded a triple-double in the Nuggets' home win over Sacramento on Sunday, was held to 15 points, nine rebounds and five assists.
Gary Harris added 14 points for Denver, which saw a two-game winning streak come to an end.
Murray had six rebounds, four assists and two steals to go with his 18 points. He made three 3-pointers.
The teams split their four-game season series, with both clubs winning twice at home.
--Field Level Media