Nuggets Top Lakers 101-94 In OT
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Wilson Chandler scored 19 points and Ty Lawson had 16 points and 16 assists, helping the Denver Nuggets beat the Los Angeles Lakers 101-94 in overtime on Sunday night.
Arron Afflalo added 15 points for the Nuggets, who have won five of six following a 1-6 start that was capped by consecutive double-digit losses to Portland.
The Lakers, coming off a 140-106 drubbing at Dallas, began a four-game homestand with their seventh straight loss to the Nuggets, despite 27 points from Kobe Bryant. The NBA's No. 4 career scorer made only four of 14 shots after the third quarter and finished 10 for 24.
The losing streak against Denver matches the Lakers' longest against any club since an eight-game drought against Portland from Feb. 18, 1993, through Jan. 9, 1995. The franchise record for consecutive losses against one team is 19, against Boston from Nov. 6, 1957, through March 3, 1959.
Nuggets reserve Danilo Gallinari had 10 points, including a 3-pointer that gave Denver a 94-90 lead with 1:28 left in OT. Bryant responded with a short jumper 9 seconds later, but that was the Lakers' last basket in a game in which they finished at 37.1 percent from the field and Denver 37.8.
The Nuggets missed 15 of 38 free throws and the Lakers missed nine of 34. Los Angeles has lost five games by seven points or fewer.
Carlos Boozer sat out because of a left shoulder strain and Ed Davis made his first start as a Laker at power forward. He had four points and five rebounds in 22 minutes before fouling out with 10:37 left in the game and the Los Angeles ahead 75-73.
Wesley Johnson posterized Gallinari with a soaring slam dunk after a fast-break feed from Jeremy Lin and completed the three-point play to give the Lakers an 85-82 lead with 3:15 left in the fourth quarter. But they didn't make another field goal until overtime, when Lin hit a short jumper to give them an 88-86 lead with 4 minutes to play.
The Nuggets led 41-39 at halftime despite Chandler, Afflalo and Kenneth Faried all going 2 for 7 from the field. Bryant was the only starter on either team shooting at least 50 percent in the half, going 5 for 9 with 11 points.
The Nuggets, who made 10 or more 3-pointers in each of their previous four games, missed their first 11 attempts from behind the arc against a defense that surrendered 18 against the Mavericks on Friday night. Darrell Arthur ended Denver's long-range drought with 7:54 left in the half.
--------
TIP-INS
Nuggets: Coach Brian Shaw, who spent the final four seasons of his playing career with the Lakers and helped them win three consecutive NBA titles, is 42-53 since taking the Nuggets job. Last season, Denver finished out of the playoff picture after qualifying for the postseason in 10 consecutive years. ... Reserve G Randy Foye played 11 scoreless minutes after missing two games with a bruised right knee. ... The Nuggets improved to 1-7 when trailing after three quarters.
Lakers: The inductions of Shaquille O'Neal and Zelmo Beaty into the College Basketball Hall of Fame on Sunday at Kansas City made them the 14th and 15th members to have played for the Lakers. ... Bryant, who turned 36 on Aug. 23, came in averaging a league-best 26.7 points. The oldest scoring champion in NBA history was Michael Jordan, who was 35 years and 61 days old when he finished the 1997-98 campaign with a league-best 28.7 average in his final season with the Chicago Bulls. Bryant, who has won two scoring titles, led the league in points in 2002-03 and 2008-08 -- but finished second in scoring average both times.
UP NEXT
Nuggets: Host Chicago on Tuesday.
Lakers: Host Memphis on Wednesday.
(© Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)
