Jamal Murray hit a clutch three-pointer with 5.6 seconds left, and Russell Westbrook sealed the win with a steal and dunk as the Denver Nuggets defeated the depleted Los Angeles Lakers 131-126 on Friday night.
Murray finished with 26 points, while Nikola Jokic led the way with 28 for Denver, which improved to 43-24 and held its spot at second place in the Western Conference. Despite the victory, the Nuggets struggled to put away a Lakers team missing several key players, including LeBron James and Luka Doncic.
Austin Reaves delivered a season-high 37 points for Los Angeles, while rookie Dalton Knecht added 32. The Lakers, now 40-25 and fifth in the West, were without James, who missed his third straight game due to a left groin strain. Doncic sat out with a right ankle sprain and calf injury, while Rui Hachimura, Jaxson Hayes, Dorian Finney-Smith, and Gabe Vincent were also sidelined.
Even with a short rotation, the Lakers fought back after trailing by 13 in the third quarter. They took a 126-123 lead with under a minute left after a 19-9 run, but Jokic tied it with a three-point play before Murray’s decisive shot. Reaves had a chance to respond but missed a mid-range jumper, allowing Denver to secure the win.
Los Angeles struggled at the free-throw line in the first half, attempting only seven shots compared to Denver’s 25. The disparity played a role in the Nuggets building a 71-67 halftime lead. Christian Braun provided an unexpected boost with 22 points on 9-of-10 shooting, while Aaron Gordon contributed 17.
Bronny James, recalled from the G League, played 16 minutes despite feeling under the weather. He finished with five points in his return to the Lakers’ lineup.
Los Angeles, now on a four-game losing streak, faces an uphill battle in the playoff race with continued injury concerns.
