Nuggets-Lakers: February Ends On Wrong Note for Los Angeles

They were out of it. Again.

February just had to end on a wrong note—it just had to.

The Los Angeles Lakers' uncanny ability to implode in the fourth quarter came back to haunt them against the Denver Nuggets, taking a loss 90-79 to close out the month.

Sitting in third place in the Western Conference, the Nuggets made Phil Jackson's club pay for failing to make clutch shots, all the while making some of their own in the last 12 minutes.

If there was ever a night where the Lakers couldn't shoot their way out of a wet paper bag, this was the night. The stats have told the story: 9.5 percent three-point shooting, combined with a 29.8 percent field goal percentage.

In the National Basketball Association, off days/nights can kill your team's chances of getting a "W" quickly.

Derek Fisher, Lamar Odom, and Luke Walton took the night off, with only seven, 12, and six points respectively. The bench also went AWOL, with only four points.

Four points!

Perhaps the "D-fenders" could have put on a more impressive performance than the Laker bench did against Denver.

One can only wonder.

The fact that Paul Gasol (18 points) and Kobe Bryant were the only ones to show up (29 points) and make key shots is a painful example of the aforementioned consequences.

As for the Nuggets, the leaders in the NBA Northwest Division, there is little dispute that they have made a statement with their victory at the Pepsi Center tonight.

Not only did the Lakers shoot dismally, but the mistakes that hindered them against the Minnesota Timberwolves caught up to them.

Inept passes and blown finishing.

Repeat mental error implementation...Again, and again.

What does that give you?

A performance that can't get it done against the Sisters of Mercy, to paraphrase Chick Hearn.

The Nuggets' bench players showed up. Chris Andersen had 11 points, while J.R. Smith added 22 in relief of Dahntay Jones.

Chauncey Billups also added 22 points, and Carmelo Anthony could be forgiven for only shooting 4-17, with 12 points.

But, it only gets better for George Karl's Nuggets, as they out-blocked the Lakers 11-1.

Only one block for the team at the top of the Association table? Please.

If the Suns are looking at the film from this game, perhaps there could be hope for payback when the Purple and Gold roll into Phoenix.

Because tonight, there was no hope for the Lakers to play like the Lakers.

Not when they were clearly out of it.

And not when, as a consequence, the month of February decided to give them the middle finger they deserved.