Denver Nuggets open account in playoffs with 99 – 84 win over Los Angeles Lakers – NBA Recap - Part 2
The Denver Nuggets pushed on and looked to increase their lead as the second period began. They jolted the Los Angeles Lakers with an 8 – 0 burst that took gap whopping 24 points, 38 – 14. The Lakers made some amends with a 9 – 0 run, to get to 41 – 26,
and were later able to bring the gap down to 11 points; 45 – 34.
Denver though stopped the away side’s momentum and held on to a sizeable lead at halftime, 55 – 39.
After the interval Los Angeles threatened more. A Kobe Bryant 3-point shot took the deficit into single digits, 59 – 50. A 7 – 0 run by the Lakers made it 67 – 62, the closest they had come in a long time. The Nuggets however put the brakes on to their downward
slide and at the end of the third were still ahead at 72 – 65.
Los Angeles sustained the pressure for some time in the final quarter but the Nuggets proved too fast for them. Denver regained their double digit advantage in the last segment and were able to close out with a comfortable 99 – 84 score line.
Ty Lawson, who had been instrumental in Nuggets early ascendency, was complimentary of JaVale McGee and Kenneth Faried after the game.
"He has a lot of talent and he has a lot of potential, and he showed it today. He's a big-time player and I hope he can do it the rest of the series. Kenneth, he has a motor that doesn't stop. He's undersized, he plays hard and that's what makes up for his
size."
The Lakers were able to get close in the third quarter, something that pleased Kobe, but he lamented the fact that they didn’t make it count.
"I liked the way we climbed back into the game but we just couldn't get over the hump."
Bryant led the Lakers with 22 points and he also had 6 rebounds and 6 assists. Andrew Bynum picked up a double-double with 18 points and 12 rebounds while Pau Gasol collected 16 points with 7 boards. Ramon Sessions was the last Lakers player in double figures
as he narrowly missed out on a double-double with 15 points and 9 rebounds.
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