Lakers-Nuggets: L.A. Stuffs Denver, Takes a 3-0 Series Lead

With their 102-84 rout of the Denver Nuggets, the Los Angeles Lakers edged closer to something they haven’t done in four years – win a first round playoff series. The poor shot selection and the lack of intensity shown by the Nuggets made the match up seem more like a mid-season game rather than an NBA playoff.

The Lakers knew exactly what it was and were focused. The Nuggets were not.

The game took on the familiar pattern of the first two in the series with the two teams remaining fairly close in the first half, and then the Lakers breaking out and pulling away midway through the third quarter.

Foregoing his usual pre-game warmup and deciding instead to lenghten, limber and loosen, Bryant only had 4 points in the first quarter far shy of the 20 that he had in Game 2. However, his 6 assists helped the Lakers take a 23-20 lead.

Neither team looked particularly sharp as the Lakers shot 41% while the Nuggets just 33%. Pau Gasol had 8 points for the Lakers and Kenyon Martin matched him with 8 points for the Nuggets.

Eduardo Najera and J.R. Smith came off the bench to spark the Nuggets, who took the lead, 40-38, at the six-minute mark of the second quarter. But Najera had to sit down with 3 personal fouls, and the Lakers went on a 13-2 run. The teams ended the half with the Lakers ahead 53-46.

The big news in the first half was the poor shooting by three of the top four NBA scorers. Bryant was just 3 for 8 after his 49-point performance in Game 2. Alan Iverson was 3 for 11. Carmelo Anthony was 2 for 10. Overall, the Nuggets shot 39% while the Lakers shot 47.6%. The Lakers 20 field goals came on 16 assists, but they were a subpar 10 for 17 from the foul line.

Bryant didn’t stay cold for long. He hit four of five to start the second half and give the Lakers a 13-point lead, 64-51. The Lakers extended their lead to 18. But the Nuggets fought back in their first display of passion with an 8-0 run to cut the lead to 69-59. Then Fisher got a hot hand hitting two three-pointers, and the Lakers closed out the third quarter 83-64.

The fourth period was all Lakers scoring at will and taking a 3-0 lead in the series with their 102-84 victory. While Bryant came out of his scoring slump, Alan Iverson and Carmelo Anthony never came out of theirs.

Credit the Lakers defense for holding them to a combined 10 for 38. Anthony was 5 for 22 while Iverson was 5 for 16. Overall, the defense held the Denver Nuggets, the second highest scoring team in the NBA, averaging 110 points, to just 84 on their home court.

Five Lakers finished in double figures. Bryant ended with 22 points on 9 for 19 shooting. Luke Walton was 6 for 7 and 15 points off the bench. Pau Gasol and Derek Fisher had 14 apiece. Lamar Odom finished with 12 points.

The Lakers shot 46% putting in 37 field goals on 26 assists. The score would have been worse had the Lakers not gone 20 for 33 from the foul line.

For the Nuggets, Anthony had 16 points. Iverson and Kleiza finished with 15 each. Kenyon Martin had 12, and J.R. Smith 11.

More than likely the series will end on Monday night with Game 4. If the Nuggets failed to show any intensity being down 2-0 in the series, it’s doubtful that they will show very much being down 3-0.

Most of the intensity should come from the Lakers as they focus on getting a sweep and then waiting to see whether they will play Utah or Houston in Round 2.