The Lakers and Nuggets battled back and forth throughout the game, but ultimate the Denver Nuggets were able to defeat the Los Angeles Lakers will the final score 99-90. Paul Gasol finished as the Laker's leading scorer, with 20 points. Danilo Gallinari lead Denver, also with 20 points.
Andrew Bynum had another double double, with 28 points and 15 rebounds. The Lakers were done in by a 11-0 run after there were three minutes left in the game, to take the game from winnable for Los Angeles to completely out of reach. The Nuggets got a double double from Ty Lawson who had 17 points and 10 assists as well as Al Harrington, with 12 points and 11 rebounds.
Kobe Bryant finally reached the 28,000 point mark in the third quarter, just after halftime. After a pedestrian first half, Kobe woke up in the second half finishing with 16 points. In the last two games, Kobe has gone 12-46 and 1-13 from behind the arc. His free throw shooting makes his point total look better than it would be, as Kobe has just gone cold from the field.
The Lakers next face Houston at the Staples Center on Tuesday, followed by the Portland Trail Blazers in Portland on Thursday. The shortened schedule simply won't let up on the Lakers who are now 3-3 playing six games in the span of eight days. The Lakers won't have more than one day off until mid-January.