Denver Nuggets’ Late Push Breaks Los Angeles Lakers, 128-104

The LeBronless Los Angeles Lakers lost their third match in a row, this time against the Denver Nuggets. The guests from Colorado were better at Staples tonight, defeating the purple and gold 128-104 and avenging the loss at Pepsi Center earlier this season.

LeBron’s absence was just too much for the LAL, who didn’t have the usual pace without their No.1 player. The offense was struggling, and the home team ended the night with 18 assists, which is 8.2 fewer than their average. Another thing that hurt the hosts were the turnovers, which they posted 19. Lack of James’ organization skills was felt on the court all the time, and the hosts looked one-dimensional in this event, exploiting AD all the time, and Kyle Kuzma occasionally.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9HvN4H_cUCo

The game was decided midway through the third period, when Nuggets made a 12-0 series to get away and take a double-digit lead, 77-67. It was Paul Millsap who led the way back then with 8 points, and until the end of that sequence, the guests already stabilized their advantage.

Michael Malone’s crew started the fourth quarter in the same manner, with a 17-7 run, and it was the moment when they solved this clash. After that, it was all routine for the second-placed team in the Western Conference.

Paul Millsap had a team-high for the guys from Mile High, scoring 21 buckets with one rebound, and nothing else in his columns.

Gary Harris added 19 with 5 boards and 4 steals, while Nikola Jokic ended the night with 18 points, 6 boards. Will Barton posted a double-double with 14 points and 13 boards, while Jamal Murray had a below-average game for his standards – just 6 points, with 3 hits from the floor in 11 attempts.

The Nuggets had 31 assists and just 8 turnovers.

Meanwhile, the hosts didn’t adjust to LeBron’s absence. Frank Vogel’s side had just one player in the starting lineup with double-digit points, and that was Anthony Davis with 32 buckets. The Eyebrow would add 11 rebounds and 4 blocks to that and shoot 13 for 23 from the floor. Many were saying that AD couldn’t play with 100% due to his knee injury, but Vogel ruled out that possibility.

“He tweaked it, and he felt good enough to go back in the game … I didn’t feel like he looked limited.”

AD was frustrated following the game, stating that the defense was the main problem for his team tonight, and not being without James. He said that insecurity in defense only boosted the Nuggets’ morale as the game went on.

“We can’t allow slippage on the defensive end,” he said. “The more we do that, the more teams see that and try to attack our weaknesses.”

AD gets out to 19 PTS in the 1st half! #LakeShow

3Q starting now on @NBATV. pic.twitter.com/06w5JIZuuD

— NBA (@NBA) December 23, 2019

Kyle Kuzma helped off the bench with 16 points.

“It’s kinda hard to ‘next man up LeBron. He does so much,” he added following the game.

After being defeated only three times in 27 matches, the Lakers (24-6) now lost three in a row, and after suffering defeats in Indiana, Milwaukee added another one home.

They are now awaiting the Clippers on Christmas Day, before traveling to Portland to face the Trail Blazers on Friday.

Meanwhile, the Nuggets (20-8) play the second of back-to-back games this Monday night in Phoenix against the Suns. After that, they have a three-game homestand, which starts on Wednesday against the Pelicans. The other two rivals will be the Grizzlies and the Kings, so Malone’s guys have a nice chance to make a solid winning streak.