DENVER — Even with both teams eventually down multiple key players, Thursday night at Ball Arena was the Lakers’ biggest test against a potential Western Conference playoff team in nearly a month.
And they learned more about what it’ll take tocompete with the other top teams in the West, falling to the Nuggets 120-113 to kick off a stretch in which the quality of competition to picking up.
TheLakersnever led on Thursday, with the Nuggets pulling off the wire-to-wire win in a game they led by 15 points.
Luka Doncic led the Lakers with 27 points, 11 rebounds, seven assists and four steals, making multiple shots to keep his team in the game.
But the Lakers were outscored 8-2 in the final two minutes to leave Denver with the loss.
Austin Reaves finished with 16 points, seven assists and five rebounds.LeBron James had 16 points, eight assists and five rebounds, but was dealing with an apparent left elbow ailment after taking a fall on a layup attempt in the fourth.
Three-time MVP Nikola Jokic led the Nuggets with 28 points, 13 assists and 12 rebounds. Jamal Murray added 28 points and seven assists.
The Lakers will stay at the No. 6 spot in the West, moving further behind No. 5.
They dropped to 37-25 on the season.
When Reaves split a pair of free throws with 2:05 remaining.
Source: California Post – Breaking California News, Photos & Videos
