Nuggets break Lakers' seven-game winning touch behind Nikola Jokic's 6th triple-double

The Nuggets entered Sunday’s matchup down two starters, and then they lost another.

But digging deep into their ever-thinning bench, the Nuggets knocked off the defending champion Lakers and snapped their seven-game winning streak with a resounding 122-105 win at Ball Arena on Sunday night. The win – Denver’s third in a row – improved their record to 15-11 on the season with a game Tuesday at Boston on deck.

Nikola Jokic paced the Nuggets with his sixth triple-double of the season, finishing with 23 points, 16 rebounds and 10 assists. His star counterpart, Jamal Murray, flashed shades of his “Bubble” eruption from last postseason. Murray added 25 points, six rebounds and four assists. He was a team-high +27, an indication of the superb effort he brought on both sides of the court.

Without Gary Harris (adductor), P.J. Dozier (hamstring) and Will Barton (personal), six different Nuggets finished with double-digits. Contributions from rookies Zeke Nnaji and Facu Campazzo were even more vital after Paul Millsap left the game with a left knee sprain in the first half. The rookies combined for seven of Denver’s 19 3-pointers on the night.

Despite LeBron James’  22 points and 10 rebounds, the Lakers were battling their own injury woes. Star forward Anthony Davis left the game in the first half with an apparent Achilles’ injury and didn’t return.

Ten days ago in Los Angeles, the Nuggets couldn’t hold a double-digit lead against the Lakers as they got shredded in transition. On Sunday, their third quarter was a far different story. While Jokic finished off the non-scoring aspects of his triple-double, his teammates carried the offensive load. Nnaji drained two 3-pointers, and Murray added 10 points, including a dazzling finish inside despite contact from James.

But unlike in their first meeting, when Denver’s defense folded, the Nuggets held the Lakers to just 24 points in the quarter and carried a 103-85 lead into the fourth.

It was only a few games ago that rookies RJ Hampton and Nnaji weren’t even part of the regular rotation. But the smattering of injuries left the Nuggets severely undermanned heading into Sunday. Even reserve forward Vlatko Cancar got a few minutes before the game was over.

Related Articles

Lakers’ top-ranked defense should be all the motivation Nuggets need to improve Why Nuggets’ Michael Porter Jr. embraces Nikola Jokic’s tough love: “He just expects a lot from me” Nuggets erase 19-point deficit in dramatic comeback victory against Thunder, 97-95 Rookie Zeke Nnaji showcases versatility, confidence in breakout Nuggets performance NBA all-star voting update: Nuggets’ Nikola Jokic stays at No. 2 spot in vote

“RJ Hampton has shown in the minutes he’s gotten since P.J., Gary, Will Barton, whoever else has been out, that he can go out there and help a team,” said Nuggets coach Michael Malone said. “Zeke Nnaji against Cleveland was terrific shooting the ball. … The flip side of that silverlining is that it’s really hard to win at a high level consistently when you’re playing as many young players as we are.

“Those are the breaks,” he said. “That’s part of it. You don’t complain about it. You just find guys that want to go out there and compete and fight like hell. And I think RJ and Zeke, every chance they’ve gotten, have done exactly that.”

Both rookies, in addition to fellow first-year Campazzo, played significant roles in establishing Denver’s lead. Campazzo’s no-look dime to Nnaji for three in the corner was a viral sensation within seconds.

Down two starters and a key reserve, the Nuggets’ offense tore through the best defense in the NBA, seizing a 73-61 lead going into the break. Jokic was devastating inside, pouring in a game-high 23 points, snatching nine rebounds and dishing six assists all before halftime.

His play more than matched James’, who had a Laker-high 19 points at the break. But when James ended the second quarter with a pulsating transition dunk, it left Malone disgusted. Denver’s coach tore his facemask off and grabbed another before heading into the home locker room.

Even though the Nuggets gave up 38 points in the paint, mostly to James and Anthony Davis, their offense hummed. With 19 first-half assists and 11 3-pointers, the ball flew around the perimeter leaving Los Angeles’ defense bewildered.

feeds.denverpost.com/~r/dp-sports/~3/uCiQ3rwB-Rs/

Follow Tyler T. Tysdal Here

See the latest news from Tyler Tysdal on Linkedin.com
Take a look at the biography for Ty Tysdal on Crunchbase to see the companies he has managed.
Check out more pictures from Tyler Tysdal On Pinterest.com
Recent News Article About Tyler Tysdal on Tricity Daily