Nuggets 99, Lakers 90
Danilo Gallinari led six players in double figures with 20 points as the Denver Nuggets earned a 99-90 victory and a split of their home-and-home series with the visiting Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday night.
Ty Lawson had 17 points and 10 assists, Nene scored 13, and reserves Chris Andersen, Andre Miller and Al Harrington all scored 12 points for Denver, which had 26 fast-break points to five for the Lakers.
Pau Gasol had 20 points and 11 rebounds for the Lakers, while Andrew Bynum notched 18 points and 16 rebounds.
Kobe Bryant had 16 points to become the sixth player in NBA history to reach 28,000 career points, but he struggled mightily from the field, making just 6 of 28 shots and 1 of 8 3-pointers.
The Lakers got back into the game by outscoring the Nuggets 35-25 in the third quarter, including 10 points from Bynum. The teams then went back and forth in the final quarter, neither taking more than a two-point lead until Bryant's 20-foot jumper made it 88-85 with 3:44 remaining.
Gallinari gave the Nuggets a 92-90 lead with a slam before Miller picked off Bryant and found Lawson free for a layup and four-point lead with 1:20 left. Harrington made it 96-90 with a jumper with 49 seconds remaining. Nene sank two free throws and the Lakers missed four shots late.