Denver Nuggets vs LA Lakers Player Stats and Box Score for Nov. 23 | 2024-25 NBA Season

Familiar issues plagued the LA Lakers as the Denver Nuggets outplayed them yet again. Nikola Jokic and co. had the last laugh with a 127-102 win at the Crypto.com Arena on Saturday (Nov. 23). This was the first meeting between both teams this season, with the visitors coming in as top favorites after getting the best of the Purple and Gold in 12 of their last 13 meetings. The dominance now extends to 13 wins in 14 outings.

Both teams met after losing their previous games. The Nuggets lost to the Dallas Mavericks, while the Lakers were stunned by the Orlando Magic. On Saturday, the Nuggets were without DaRon Holmes II, Aaron Gordon, Vlatko Čančar, Jalen Pickett, and Spencer Jones.

LA was without the services of Hood-Schifino, Quincy Olivari, Christian Wood, Jaxson Hayes, Bronny James, and Jarred Vanderbilt.

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Denver Nuggets vs LA Lakers Player Stats and Box Score for Nov. 23

Denver Nuggets player stats and box score

Player	PTS	REB	AST	STL	BLK
Michael Porter Jr.	24	11	4	1	0
Peyton Watson	11	5	2	0	1
Nikola Jokic	34	13	8	2	1
Christian Braun	16	2	3	1	0
Jamal Murray	14	5	5	1	0
Julian Strawther	6	2	1	0	0
Trey Alexander	13	0	0	0	0
Russell Westbrook	14	7	11	1	0
Dario Saric	0	1	1	0	0
DeAndre Jordan	2	0	1	1	0
Hunter Tyson	1	2	1	0	0
Zeke Nnaji	0	0	0	0	0
PJ Hall	2	0	0	0	0

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LA Lakers player stats and box score

Players	PTS	REB	AST	STL	BLK
Rui Hachimura	10	2	3	1	0
LeBron James	18	6	7	3	0
Anthony Davis	14	10	3	3	2
Cam Reddish	6	0	0	2	0
Austin Reaves	19	3	6	1	0
D'Angelo Russell	7	2	5	0	0
Dalton Knecht	9	5	1	0	0
Max Christie	12	0	1	0	0
Christian Koloko	0	3	0	1	1
Gabe Vincent	7	0	1	0	0
Maxwell Lewis	0	0	0	0	0
Armel Traore	0	1	0	0	0

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Denver Nuggets vs LA Lakers recap (Nov. 23): Nikola Jokic and co. clearly have the Purple and Gold's number

It was a neck-to-neck start as the Lakers and Nuggets traded baskets in the first quarter. However, a series of buckets by Nikola Jokic in the final seconds of the first quarter to lead 31-27. It was a LeBron James-led second quarter for the Lakers. The veteran forward was solid on both ends of the floor, scoring 13 points midway through the second stretch. The initial outburst saw LA hold on to a six-point lead as they went into halftime 63-57.

James ended with 13 points, four rebounds, and six assists. Anthony Davis had a quiet night with nine points and six rebounds. Jokic had 17 points and nine rebounds for the Nuggets, while Christian Braun and Jamal Murray had 12 and 11 points respectively. However, that was the last the Lakers played any kind of competitive basketball as the Nuggets took charge in the second half.

The Lakers were thoroughly outplayed in the third quarter as the Nuggets capitalized on the hosts' sloppy defense and sputtering offense to extend their lead by outscoring the side 35-17 leaving a massive catch-up headache for LA. The fourth quarter saw them trail Denver with an 18-point deficit. LA had no answer for Jokic's relentless play on both ends of the floor as they were reduced to chipping away and getting closer to matching the Nuggets in the fourth.

LA seemed to wave the white flag early on in the fourth as Denver was well ahead on the scoreboard. The Lakers had their starters on the bench in the final few minutes. Jokic was the star again with 34 points and 13 rebounds. Former Laker Russell Westbrook helped himself to a DD2 as well with 14 points and 11 assists off the bench.

Up next, the LA Lakers hit the road for a two-game West Coast trip. They play the Phoenix Suns first and follow it up with a skirmish against the San Antonio Spurs. The Nuggets host the New York Knicks at the Ball Arena.