Luka Doncic led the charge for Los Angeles, scoring 31 points, as the Lakers secured a 120-108 victory over the Denver Nuggets.
Doncic’s explosive performance included a 21-point contribution in the first quarter alone. Supporting him, Austin Reaves chipped in with 22 points, helping the Lakers capitalize on a strong start and achieving their third consecutive win and ninth home victory in a row. This was accomplished even in the absence of starters LeBron James for the fifth game running and Rui Hachimura for the ninth consecutive match.
The win allowed the Lakers (43-25) to slightly edge ahead of the Nuggets (44-26) for third place in the Western Conference standings, with the two teams now sharing the season series with two wins apiece.
The Lakers’ staggering 46 points in the first quarter marked their highest-scoring period of the season. This was also Doncic’s highest point haul in any quarter since joining the Lakers. The team achieved this by hitting nine three-pointers in the opening 12 minutes, tying the franchise record for the most in a single period.
Aaron Gordon stands out for the Nuggets, tallying 26 points and 11 rebounds, but Denver, which was without the injured Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray for the second game in a row, fell to 3-4 since March 9. Other notable scorers for the Nuggets included Jalen Pickett with 14 points, and Michael Porter Jr., Peyton Watson, and Russell Westbrook each scoring 12.
The Lakers quickly established a lead, with Doncic’s three-pointer just under three minutes into the game setting a tone, making it 14-2 in their favor. His 7-of-11 shooting from the field and 3-of-5 from three in the first quarter contributed to the Lakers leading 69-41 following a three-pointer from Dalton Knecht just past the halfway mark of the second quarter.
Denver, however, mounted a comeback before halftime, scoring 18 of the final 25 points of the half to narrow the lead to 73-59 at the break.
The Lakers regained momentum in the second half, holding a 94-74 lead with 4:31 left in the third quarter and extending to 105-77 by the start of the fourth period.
The Lakers’ victory over the Nuggets secured a crucial postseason tiebreaker in their favor, ensuring home advantage in any future playoff series against Denver.
Up next for the Lakers is a home game against the Milwaukee Bucks on Thursday, while the Nuggets will travel to Portland to face the Trail Blazers on Friday.
