The Los Angeles Lakers have powered past the Denver Nuggets 121-110 to snatch their first win of the season and avoid the franchise’s worst start in 65 years behind LeBron James and Anthony Davis’ combined 49 points.
James finished with 26 points, six rebounds and eight assists on 10-of-22 from the field whilst Davis, who has been labouring through back soreness since the preseason, added 23 points of his own to go along with a game-high 15 rebounds.
In his second outing since shifting from the starting five back to the bench, Russell Westbrook put up 18 points, eight rebounds and eight assists shooting 6-of-12 from the field including 2-of-4 from three and was a game-high plus-18.
Lonnie Walker IV, meanwhile, had 18 of his own – 10 of which coming in a decisive, third-quarter flurry – to go along with five rebounds and two blocks whilst Austin Reaves had 10 points and four rebounds in 28 minutes off the bench.
The Lakers dug themselves a double-digit, first-quarter deficit before pinching a slim lead prior to the intermission.
A third-quarter, perimeter shooting burst had Denver looking poised to hand the Lakers’ their sixth-straight loss before Walker IV and co. wrestled back momentum to re-take the lead late in the third which they would hold onto for the remainder of the night.
The Nuggets were led by reigning-MVP Nikola Jokić who finished the night with 23 points, 14 rebounds, six assists and two blocks – all team-high marks.
Jamal Murray put up 21 points, four rebounds and five assists as he continues working his way back from a long-term ACL layoff whilst Aaron Gordon had 18 points and six rebounds on 7-of-11 from the field.
The Lakers will breathe a sigh of relief after coming away with a come-from-behind victory over a formidable conference rival and earning first-year head coach Darvin Ham his maiden NBA victory.
They are now 1-5 on the year and half-a-game up on the Western Conference-worst Rockets.
The Nuggets will be disappointed to have allowed that one to slip away after a 4-2 start to the season but will hope not to dwell on it with a matchup against the Thunder in Oklahoma City scheduled for Friday.
The Lakers, meanwhile, will host the high-flying Pelicans on Thursday.
