Nuggets earn franchise’s largest win over Lakers
Paul Millsap, Jamal Murray and Malik Beasley scored 20 points apiece, and the Denver Nuggets rolled to their biggest victory ever over the Los Angeles Lakers, a 117-85 rout on Tuesday.
The 32-point margin surpassed a 29-point win in 1993.
Nikola Jokic added 14 points and Juancho Hernangomez had 12 for the Nuggets, who won their fourth in a row.
Kyle Kuzma scored 21 points for
Los Angeles, while Lebron James and Brandon Ingram added 14 apiece. The Lakers, who handed the Nuggets their first loss of the season in late October in Los Angeles, struggled to find their shooting touch against Denver’s defensive pressure.
The Lakers were outshot 48.5 percent to 39.5 percent and finished just 5 of 35 (14.3 percent) from 3-point range. And for the 10th time this season, the Nuggets held an opponent to under 100 points.
Up by eight at the half, the Nuggets stretched their lead to 89-71 with a strong third quarter. Jokic started the Nuggets’ third by hitting a pair of 3s, and Mason Plumlee’s tip-in just before the quarter ended put Denver in front by 18 going into the fourth quarter.
At Memphis, Tenn., Kyle Lowry had 24 points and six assists, Fred Vanvleet added 18 points, and Toronto used a 3-point shooting burst in the fourth quarter to beat the Grizzlies.
Vanvleet made all six shots on the night, including three from outside the arc in the fourth, when Toronto was 7 of 12 from 3-point range. Lowry was 5 of 8 on 3-pointers. Kawhi Leonard finished with 17 points and 10 rebounds, and Serge Ibaka scored 16 points as the Raptors won their sixth straight.
At Detroit, Blake Griffin scored 30 points and Stanley Johnson added 21 to lift the Pistons over New York.
Reggie Jackson contributed 21 points for Detroit, which is 11-7, although nine of their victories have been against teams that currently have losing records.
At Phoenix, Bojan Bogdanovic sank the goahead 3-pointer with 31 seconds to play, and Indiana beat the Suns.
After Bogdanovic’s long-range basket, Devin Booker’s attempt at a game-tying 3 barely rimmed out. Darren Collison’s two free throws wrapped up the win.
At Miami, Taurean Prince scored 18 points, Trae Young finished with 17 points and 10 assists, and Atlanta held off the Heat to snap a seven-game road slide.
John Collins scored 16 points, Omari Spellman had 14, and Kent Bazemore finished with 12 for the Hawks, who are 2-0 against Miami this season and 3-16 against everyone else.