The Los Angeles Lakers are riding a four-game losing streak and tonight they have chance to end it against the Denver Nuggets. This is a matchup of two of the youngest teams in the league, should be a good one. Check out our game recap:
1st Quarter:
With Luol Deng missing the game due to a sprained wrist, Brandon Ingram gets the starting nod. Joining him were D’Angelo Russell, Nick Young, Julius Randle, and Timofey Mozgov. The Nuggets started the game with Emmanuel Mudiay, Will Barton, Danilo Gallinari, Kenneth Faried, and Nikola Jokic.
Both teams began the game shooting the ball well, resulting in a 10-10 tie four minutes into the quarter. Jock gave the Nuggets a two-point lead when he scored on a close basket basket in which he was fouled on but could not convert the free throw.
Ingram recovered nicely by scoring a contested layup over Faried after almost committing a turnover, but Mudiay responded with his second three-pointer of the night. After the Lakers starters looked sluggish running the floor after a another turnover, Luke Walton pulled them out and inserted his bench.
Coming out of the timeout, Jokic connected on a short jumper to extend the Nuggets run to 13-2. Lou Williams got a much needed basket when he dribbled all the way into the paint and played the ball in to bring them within six points.
Gallinari and Barton drilled consecutive three-pointers to extend their lead to 13 points and force a Lakers timeout. Before the quarter ended Randle converted an and-one but Gallinari responded with a miracle layup right before the buzzer sounded. The Lakers trail at the end of the first quarter, 40-26.
2nd Quarter:
The Lakers began the quarter on a 7-0 run before Jusuf Nurkic used his big body frame to back down Ivaca Zubac for an easy basket. A Nuggets turnover lead to an easy slam-dunk for Ingram on the other end to cut the lead to seven points with eight minutes remaining in the quarter.
Tarik Black made a really nice to finish with his left hand to bring the Lakers within three points but Wilson Chandler responded with an and-one. Another Nuggets turnover led a fast break led by Russell who delivered a nice bounce to Young, who was fouled and knocked down both free throws.
A bad offensive possession by the Lakers led to a three-pointer by Barton, who has 12 points so far. Young scored his second three-pointer of the night to bring the Lakers within seven points with just under three minutes remaining.
A nice cut by Faried resulted in a layup for the Nuggets. On the next possession Russell scored his first basket of the night, a three-pointer from the right twin off an assist from Young.
The Lakers ended the quarter terribly as Russell turned the ball over for a Mudiay slam dunk and let him run up the court virtually untouched. The Lakers trail at the end of the second quarter, 66-54.
3rd Quarter:
The Nuggets started the quarter similar to the way the game started and jumped out to a 15-point lead. Young got a much needed three-pointer for the Lakers.
The woes for the Lakers continued when Randle could not secure a rebound a missed Denver free throw and Jokic slammed the ball easily. Clarkson made a bad decision on a fast-break when he tried to force a layup when he had Lou Williams open on the corner for an open three-point attempt.
A real bright spot for the Lakers tonight has been Tarik Balck who has hustled his way to 14 points and and seven rebounds so far on the night. Barton continued his hot shooting for the Nuggets when he non-chalantly dribbled up the court and knocked down a three-pointer, his fifth of the night.
The Lakers simply have not played defense tonight as the Nuggets are getting every look they want. On two consecutive possessions, Jokic drilled wide open free throw line jumpers to extend the Nuggets lead to 17 points with two minutes left in the quarter.
The Lakers trail at the end of the third quarter, 101-84, as they allowed the Nuggets to shoot 64.5 percent from the field.
4th Quarter:
The Lakers started the quarter with better energy and cut the deficit to 11 points with nine minutes to play. Wilson Chandler delivered a highlight reel play when he threw down a monstrous dunk over Zubac to stop the Lakers momentum.
After a timeout, Young cleaned up a Williams three-point attempt but Jamal Murray answered with a basket of his own. Halfway through the quarter, the Nuggets inserted Barton and Jokic to try and stop the Lakers from inching closer.
A technical foul shot by Jordan Clarkson cut the lead to nine. The Nuggets got lucky when Zubac made a nice defensive play and the ball found its way to Jokic for a close basket. On the ensuing possession Williams responded with a three-pointer.
Zubac scored notched his first career double-double when Williams found him under the basket for a layup. On the next Lakers possession, Young drilled a three-pointer to bring the Lakers within four points.
After tough shot by Gallinari, Clarkson brought the Lakers within one when he drilled a three-pointer from he right corner. The Lakers got a tough break when Mudiay missed a three-point attempt but Jokic secured an offensive rebound and found a cutting Barton for a layup.
The Lakers play hard until the end, but their lack of defense proved to be to much to overcome as they fall to the Nuggets, 127-121.