Lakers 104, Nuggets 100
LAKERS 104, NUGGETS 100: Kobe Bryant scored 38 points and Los Angeles never trailed in taking a 2-0 series lead over visiting Denver.
Andrew Bynum scored a playoff career-high 27 points and grabbed nine rebounds as the Lakers built a 19-point third-quarter lead and fended off numerous comeback attempts by the Nuggets.
Game 3 of the best-of-seven series is Friday night in Denver.
Pau Gasol had 13 points and 10 boards and Ramon Sessions scored 10 of his 14 points in the fourth quarter for the Lakers.
Ty Lawson scored 25 points to to lead six players in double figures for the Nuggets, who whittled a 14-point fourth-quarter deficit to four points on five occasions.
Danilo Gallinari and Corey Brewer scored 13 points apiece and Kenneth Faried added 12 for Denver, which has not led at any point in the first two games.
The game appeared to be a blowout after Los Angeles ripped off 14 straight points to build its biggest lead at 71-52 with 6 1/2 minutes left in the third quarter, but the Nuggets responded with a 14-2 run and got within 81-74 entering the final 12 minutes.
The Lakers had Denver on its heels from the outset, bolting to a 12-3 lead and riding a combined 24 points from Bryant and Bynum to a 32-25 first-quarter lead.
The Nuggets battled back to tie it at 36-36 before Bryant scored seven points in a 9-0 spurt to help the Lakers to a 55-48 halftime edge. Bryant had 21 points on 9-of-12 shooting and Bynum was 7 of 9 for 16 points in the first half.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Bryant had his 83rd 30-point game in the postseason, second only to Michael Jordan (109). ... Lakers forward Jordan Hill, who was charged with a third-degree felony Monday for allegedly choking his girlfriend at the end of February, is not expected to miss any games, the team said. Hill had six points and 10 rebounds Tuesday. ... The Nuggets continued to struggle from behind the arc, going 4 of 19 on 3-point attempts following a 4-for-14 performance in the series opener. The Lakers were only 2 of 15 from 3-point range. ... Denver held its own on the backboards, outrebounding Los Angeles 52-48.