LA Lakers vs Denver Nuggets Player Stats and Box Score (Mar. 14) | 2024-25 NBA season

The Denver Nuggets held on for a 131-126 win over the LA Lakers on Friday. A Jamal Murray 3-pointer gave the home team a 129-126 lead with 6.0 seconds remaining. LA committed a turnover in the next possession, allowing Russell Westbrook to seal the game with a slam.

The Lakers, without LeBron James, Luka Doncic, Rui Hachimura, Jaxson Hayes, Dorian Finney-Smith and Gabe Vincent, pushed the Nuggets to the end. Austin Reaves carried the team with 37 points, 22 coming in the first half, 13 assists and eight rebounds. Rookie Dalton Knecht dropped 32 points behind 13-for-27 shooting, including 5-for-13 from deep to help carry the team.

Murray, Nikola Jokic and Christian Braun finished with at least 22 points each. Westbrook came off the bench to add 17 points, seven assists and six rebounds.

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LA Lakers vs Denver Nuggets player stats and box score

LA Lakers player stats and box score

Player	PTS	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	FG	3-PT FG	FT	+/-
Jarred Vanderbilt	9	7	7	3	0	1	3-6	1-2	2-4	-13
Alex Len	2	5	1	0	0	0	1-2	0-0	0-0	-8
Austin Reaves	37	8	13	4	0	4	13-26	4-10	7-7	0
Jordan Goodwin	10	6	2	1	1	1	4-8	2-3	0-0	-8
Dalton Knecht	32	2	1	0	0	0	13-27	5-13	1-2	-10
Markieff Morris	7	5	3	0	0	0	3-11	1-4	0-0	-5
Cam Reddish	0	0	0	0	0	0	0-2	0-1	0-0	-12
Christian Koloko	8	7	2	0	1	1	4-7	0-0	0-0	+13
Shake Milton	16	5	3	1	0	1	7-11	1-2	1-1	+10
Bronny James	5	2	0	1	0	0	1-5	1-5	2-2	+8
Dorian Finney-Smith	DNP	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Gabe Vincent	DNP	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-

Denver Nuggets player stats and box score

Player	PTS	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	FG	3-PT FG	FT	+/-
Aaron Gordon	17	7	4	0	1	0	3-6	2-4	9-10	+16
Michael Porter Jr.	13	4	2	0	0	1	5-11	1-4	2-2	+11
Nikola Jokic	28	7	5	3	1	4	8-16	0-4	12-17	+2
Jamal Murray	26	4	5	0	1	2	9-16	5-9	3-3	+6
Christian Braun	22	5	6	1	0	1	9-10	2-3	2-2	+8
Zeke Nnaji	4	5	0	0	1	0	2-5	0-0	0-0	-11
Peyton Watson	4	1	1	2	1	0	1-5	0-1	2-4	-8
Russell Westbrook	17	6	7	1	0	4	7-16	3-6	0-0	+2
Jalen Pickett	0	0	0	0	0	0	0-0	0-0	0-0	-1
Dario Saric	DNP	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Hunter Tyson	DNP	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Vlatko Cancar	DNP	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
DeAndre Jordan	DNP	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
PJ Hall	DNP	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-

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LA Lakers vs Denver Nuggets Game Summary

The LA Lakers and the Denver Nuggets met for the third time this season on Friday. LA, which demolished the home team 123-100 in the last encounter, hoped to replicate the same result at Mile High City. The Lakers headed into the showdown on a three-game losing streak and on short rest following a 126-106 defeat in Memphis on Thursday.

The Lakers dropped 40 points on the Nuggets in the first quarter without LeBron James and Luka Doncic. Austin Reaves carried the visitors with 12 points while Shake Milton and Bronny James came off the bench to combine for 10.

Nikola Jokic led the home team with eight points, two rebounds, two steals and one assist in the opening quarter. Aaron Gordon and Russell Westbrook gave the Nuggets a lift, but still trailed 40-32 after 12 minutes.

Denver continued its late push in the first quarter to the second period. Behind the three-time MVP, the Nuggets won the next 12 minutes 39-27 to take a 71-67 halftime lead. Denver lived at the free-throw line in the first two quarters, making 21 of 25 shots to rally from the early deficit.

The Lakers continued to battle without Doncic, James, Dorian Finney-Smith, Rui Hachimura, Jaxson Hayes and Gabe Vincent. Austin Reaves, Dalton Knecht and Shake Milton helped the team to a 32-31 advantage over Denver in the third quarter. LA inched to within 102-99 heading into the last 12 minutes.

Reaves gallantly carried the Lakers with nine points and two assists in the fourth quarter. However, he missed a 15-footer with the game tied 126-126 with 29.1 seconds remaining. Jamal Murray drained a 3-pointer to give the Nuggets the cushion they needed.

A bad pass by Shake Milton led to a Russell Westbrook dunk that allowed the hosts to escape with a 131-126 win.