Luka Doncic authored a dominant all-around performance Tuesday night, lifting the Los Angeles Lakers to a 115-107 comeback win over the Denver Nuggets at Ball Arena.
Luka Doncic finished with 38 points, 13 rebounds, and 10 assists, recording a triple-double that swung the game after Los Angeles trailed by as many as 16 in the second half.
Los Angeles Lakers struggled early as Denver controlled the pace, jumping out to a 13-point lead in the opening quarter and carrying a 71-57 advantage into halftime.
Jamal Murray fueled that surge by scoring 26 of his 28 points before the break, including a 56-foot buzzer-beater that capped a 35-second burst to end the second quarter.
The Nuggets extended the margin early in the third despite playing short-handed, missing four rotation players, including Nikola Jokic, who sat out his 12th straight game with a hyperextended left knee.
Los Angeles responded with its best stretch of the night, outscoring Denver 29-17 in the third quarter to close within 88-86 heading into the fourth.
Doncic took control late, orchestrating a 16-0 run midway through the final period that turned a two-point deficit into a 108-96 Lakers lead.
The decisive sequence included free throws, strong rebounding in traffic, and kick-outs that forced the Nuggets’ defense to collapse.
LeBron James added 19 points, nine rebounds, and eight assists for Los Angeles, which played the entire second half without center Deandre Ayton after he exited with a left eye injury.
Marcus Smart chipped in 15 points, while the Lakers leaned on perimeter creation and defensive rebounding to close out the game on the road.
Denver Nuggets received 18 points apiece from Aaron Gordon and Peyton Watson, but their offense stalled late as Murray went just 1-for-5 shooting after halftime.
Denver was outscored 58-36 over the final 20 minutes, a costly downturn against a Lakers group that entered the night seventh in the Western Conference standings.
The Lakers improved to 25-16 and continue a road-heavy stretch Thursday night against the Clippers.
The Nuggets, now 29-14, open a three-game road trip in Washington on Thursday.
