Millsap scores 21 as Nuggets fend off Lakers | Inquirer Sports

Millsap scores 21 as Nuggets fend off Lakers

/ 01:41 PM March 10, 2018

Denver Nuggets forward Paul Millsap, left, argues for a foul with referee Bill Kennedy during the first half of the team’s NBA basketball game against the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday, March 9, 2018, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

DENVER — Paul Millsap scored 21 points and hit a key 3-pointer in the final minutes, and the Denver Nuggets beat the Los Angeles Lakers, 125-116, on Friday night.

Jamal Murray had 22 points and Nikola Jokic also scored 21 to help the Nuggets end a three-game home losing streak and stay in the thick of the playoff race.

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Millsap missed 44 games with a left wrist injury before returning Feb. 27 against the Clippers. Friday was his sixth game back and his best performance, which included six rebounds and three blocked shots.

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Brook Lopez led Los Angeles with 29 points. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope had 17 points and nine rebounds, and Lonzo Ball had 15 points, eight rebounds and eight assists. The Lakers had their four-game road winning streak snapped.

The Lakers trailed by 13 in the first half but took the lead at the end of the third quarter with a 12-2 run. It set up a fourth quarter that had seven lead changes.

Millsap’s three-point play with 4:24 left made it 112-110 and was the last time the lead changed hands. Murray’s two free throws stretched it to six and after the Lakers got within two, Millsap drained a 3-pointer with 1:43 left and blocked Ball’s layup with 34 seconds remaining to seal it.

Things got chippy at the end when Caldwell-Pope delivered a hard foul to Murray along the sideline after Millsap’s block. Murray hit both free throws and two more to end the game.

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Lakers: The Lakers signed F Derrick Williams to a 10-day contract on Friday. … G Brandon Ingram missed his fourth straight game with a left groin strain. Coach Luke Walton said Ingram is feeling better but did not say when the guard would return.

Nuggets: F Wilson Chandler was inactive with a hip injury. “The hip has been giving him a lot of trouble,” coach Michael Malone said. … Devin Harris’ 12 points were his most with Denver since being acquired from Dallas on Feb. 10. … Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper was in attendance.

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Lakers: Host Cleveland on Sunday night.

Nuggets: Host Sacramento on Sunday afternoon.

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TAGS: Denver Nuggets, Los Angeles Lakers, NBA, Paul Millsap, Sports

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