Lawson Powers Nuggets To 106-96 Win Over Lakers, Extends LA's Skid
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Ty Lawson had season-highs of 32 points and 16 assists, leading Denver to a 106-96 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday night that snapped the Nuggets' six-game skid.
Darrell Arthur added 15 points, and Wilson Chandler and J.J. Hickson had 13 points each for the Nuggets, whose four-game road losing streak ended.
Carlos Boozer scored 15 of his 21 points in the second half and grabbed 10 rebounds, and Wayne Ellington added 18 points for the Lakers, who fell to 0-5 this month.
The Kobe Bryant-less Lakers were coming off an 0-4 trip away from Staples Center because of the Grammy awards. Jeremy Lin and Wesley Johnson added 12 points each.
The Lakers trailed much of the fourth, when Hickson, Lawson and Arthur did most of Denver's scoring. Leading by one, Arthur ran off seven straight to give the Nuggets an 86-79 lead. Randy Foye followed with a 3-pointer and Lawson scored four straight, extending Denver's largest lead to 10.
Los Angeles rallied to get to 95-94 on six straight points, including four in a row by Johnson. But the Nuggets controlled the final 2 1/2 minutes. Lawson scored 15 of their last 17 points and closed out the win with a 3-pointer.
Lawson sparked the Nuggets in the third, scoring 10 of their 12 points during a 12-2 run that gave Denver a 63-61 lead. From there, neither team led by more than four points. Nick Young scored the Lakers' last four points to tie the game 71-all going into the fourth.
Lin, Ed Davis and Johnson combined on a 14-8 run, including 10 in a row, early in the second half to give the Lakers their largest lead, 44-32. The Nuggets answered with a 13-8 spurt to close the half trailing 48-45 after Chandler's 3-pointer.
TIP-INS
Nuggets: G Jameer Nelson sat out his fourth straight game with a strained left Achilles. He briefly practiced the other day and has had persistent soreness since then. "I joked with him that he's 32 and he's getting up there, and he doesn't heal as well as he used to," coach Brian Shaw said. "He'll aggressively continue to do his rehab over the break."
Lakers: G Jordan Clarkson had a career-high seven assists. ... The Lakers fell to 7-18 at home. ... Denzel Washington (caught on the video board putting a $100 bill into his wallet), Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist Flea and former Laker Ron Artest, wearing a panda T-shirt and cap, attended.
UP NEXT
Nuggets: After the All-Star break at Milwaukee on Feb. 20.
Lakers: At Portland on Wednesday in the second half of a back-to-back.
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