Nuggets-Lakers Preview

By NICOLINO DIBENEDETTO
Posted Jan 06 2013 1:41AM

Dwight Howard thinks winning stems from strong friendships, even if it's disingenuous.

That could be why even Kobe Bryant's staggering production hasn't been enough for the Los Angeles Lakers lately.

With Howard's status uncertain due to injury, the Lakers may need to find additional support for Bryant as they host the Denver Nuggets on Sunday night.

Los Angeles (15-17) seemed to be reloading for a run at a third NBA title in five seasons after it acquired Howard from Orlando in a blockbuster four-team, 12-player trade in August.

The move has yet to pay off as expected, even with Howard averaging 17.4 points and 12.0 rebounds while Bryant leads the NBA at 30.5 points per game.

A weak defense continues to be the biggest issue for the Lakers, who rank among the league's worst teams allowing 100.5 points per contest.

Howard, who has a sprained rotator cuff in his right shoulder, feels a lack of cohesion is the problem.

"We have to play like we like each other," he said. "Even if we don't want to be friends off the court, whatever that may be, when we step in between the lines or we step in the locker room or the gym, we have to respect each other and what we bring to the table.

"It really starts off the court. I think you have to have that relationship and that chemistry off the court for it to really blossom on the court."

Howard's solution is time.

"It takes time to develop that," he said. "You just don't come together and then expect to be best friends right away. It just doesn't happen like that."

Los Angeles has lost three of four after a season-high five-game win streak, giving up an average of 105.8 points. That stretch started with a 126-114 loss at Denver on Dec. 26, when the Lakers wasted a 40-point effort from Bryant.

Bryant has done more than his share during that four-game stretch, averaging 35.3 points after scoring 38 in Friday's 107-102 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers.

"He's lasered in on the game and trying to get us out of this ditch," coach Mike D'Antoni said. "We've just got to keep working and keep our heads up and try to do it."

Giving Bryant some offensive support could begin changing the team's fortunes. While losing the past two games, the Lakers' superstar has totaled 74 points while the rest of the starters have combined for 70.

They showed some scoring balance in a 122-103 home win over the Nuggets on Nov. 30, when Antawn Jamison had a season-high 33 points and 12 rebounds and Howard compiled 28 and 20, respectively.

Denver (19-16) has won four of six, holding opponents to 87.2 points on 39.4 percent shooting over the past five contests.

The Nuggets were terrific in nearly every facet Saturday, shooting 51.3 percent from the field while limiting Utah to 35.9 percent in a 110-91 victory that came two days after a 101-97 defeat to Minnesota.

"It was a bounce-back game played the right way, with passion and intensity," coach George Karl said. "I thought we got everything we wanted to do. We were executing our offense very well and they didn't get anybody hot. Defensively, we were sound the whole game."

Danilo Gallinari is looking to build on his 26-point performance against the Jazz after averaging 12.0 over the previous three games. The forward has scored 19 points in each of the two season meetings with the Lakers.

Nuggets beat struggling Lakers 112-105

By GREG BEACHAM
Posted Jan 07 2013 1:45AM

LOS ANGELES (AP) Although the Los Angeles Lakers have inspired plenty of strong emotions during their title-laden history, the Denver Nuggets felt something that's been rare in recent decades.

Pity.

Ty Lawson had 21 points and 10 assists, Danilo Gallinari scored 20 points and hit a big 3-pointer with 13.8 seconds left, and the Nuggets beat the struggling Lakers 112-105 Sunday night for their fifth win in seven games.

JaVale McGee scored 17 points for the Nuggets, who showed no signs of weariness after a home win over Utah one night earlier. Despite two last-minute 3-pointers by Kobe Bryant, Denver calmly maintained a lead throughout the fourth quarter of its second win in 12 days over the star-studded Lakers, who aren't exactly putting fear or fury into their opponents.

"They're struggling," Denver coach George Karl said. "It's a great win for us, but I'm not going to get overinflated."

Staples Center was mostly silent while Los Angeles dropped to 15-18 with another mediocre performance featuring 18 turnovers, intermittent defense and little structured offense down the stretch. Bryant scored 29 points and Dwight Howard had 14 points and a career high-tying 26 rebounds for the Lakers, who have lost three straight and four of five.

"(We're) a good team, and it's getting better," Karl said. "I just don't want to get too crazy with it."

Even when the Lakers did things right, they still went wrong. Bryant's 3-pointer with 36 seconds left cut Denver's lead to 105-102, and Howard emphatically blocked Andre Miller's layup attempt on the Nuggets' next possession - but the ball went straight to Gallinari, who immediately drained a 3-pointer with 13.8 seconds left.

Again, the Nuggets were almost apologetic for the pivotal play in just their fifth road win over the Lakers in 26 meetings.

"It was a lucky bounce," Gallinari said. "Dwight blocked the shot, and the ball came back to me, and Metta World Peace was right there, ready to block my shot. You don't have a lot of time to think, especially in that situation, so I had to release it very quick."

The Nuggets hung on to their lead with big late baskets from Miller and Lawson, whose layup put Denver ahead by eight points with 1:18 to play. After Gallinari's big shot, Bryant hit another 3-pointer with 11.2 seconds left, but Miller hit two free throws before Bryant missed another desperate 3-point try.

The Lakers' locker room was as silent as their arena after their eighth home loss of the still-young season.

"I think because of our record, the pressure is building, but so be it," Lakers coach Mike D'Antoni said. "We have to overcome it, and we can. We just can't let teams start out with 34 points in the first quarter. It just can't happen. We're starting to dig out every game, and somehow we have to try to figure out why that's happening."

Howard had an impressive game on the boards despite an injured right shoulder, matching his career high in rebounds in the final minutes. But he took just seven shots - making all of them except for a 3-point attempt - and went 2 for 6 on the free-throw line.

After the game, the Lakers said Howard aggravated his shoulder injury. He will have an MRI exam on Monday before the Lakers leave for a quick two-game trip to Texas, and Howard didn't know whether he'll play Tuesday at Houston.

"Everything is against us right now, but we have to keep our heads and stay together," Howard said. "It is tough out there, because everybody expects us to win, but we have to stick together."

Steve Nash had 10 points and 13 assists for the Lakers, while Pau Gasol had 11 points and five rebounds before leaving with a bloody nose with 1:05 to play in a collision with McGee.

Andre Iguodala had 15 points, seven assists and six rebounds for the Nuggets, and Miller finished with 12 points and 10 assists.

"I think teams are still getting up to play them," Iguodala said. "I mean, every time we play the Lakers, I want to play well and we want to play well. You've just got to go play with confidence and be mentally ready."

When Gasol had to leave the game with a bloody nose, Denver coach George Karl chose seldom-used Earl Clark off the Lakers' bench to shoot Gasol's free throws with 1:05 to play. Clark coolly made both shots to trim the Nuggets' lead to 105-99, kick-starting the Lakers' late comeback attempt.

Antawn Jamison, who scored 33 points against the Nuggets in their previous visit to Staples Center on Nov. 20, got just four minutes of playing time, scoring two points.

NOTES: Lakers G Chris Duhon returned after missing the past two games with back spasms. F Jordan Hill also played with a sprained right ankle. ... Denver F Kenneth Faried had six points and six rebounds while playing in back-to-back games despite an illness that caused him to miss Saturday's shootaround. ... Nash is five assists shy of the 10,000th of his career. The two-time MVP had double-digit assists for the fourth straight game. ... Howard had his third 20-rebound game of the season. He began the day as the NBA's third-leading rebounder this season.

Notebook: Nuggets 112, Lakers 105

Dan Arritt, for NBA.com
Posted Mon Jan 07, 2013 1:21 AM - Updated Mon Jan 07, 2013 1:21 AM

THE FACTS: The Lakers no longer possess the intimidation factor when visiting teams arrive at Staples Center, even with the 16 championship banners hanging from the rafters. Denver certainly wasn't in awe of L.A. on Sunday night, running the hosts ragged while handing them their eighth loss at home this season, 112-105.

QUOTABLE: "it's a great win for us but I'm not going to get overinflated. I told the team before the game I don't remember the last time we won in here in the regular season."

-- Denver coach George Karl

THE STAT: Opposing teams continue to beat the Lakers at their own game, or at least the way coach Mike D'Antoni would like to see them play. Denver reeled off 25 fast-break points, making 11 of 12 shots on the attack. Anytime L.A. missed a shot, and sometimes when they made the basket, Denver was off to the races.

TURNING POINT: After the Lakers trimmed a 10-point deficit with 6:11 remaining to three on a 3-pointer by Kobe Bryant with 36 seconds left, Dwight Howard blocked Andre Miller's short jumper in the lane. The ball went straight to Denver forward Danilo Gallinari in front of the Lakers bench, however, and he drained his third 3-pointer of the game to give the Nuggets a 108-102 lead with 13.8 seconds on the clock.

HOT: The only player for Denver that shot better than 50 percent from the floor was back-up center JaVale McGee, who finished with 17 points on 7-for-9 shooting. Howard finished with 14 points on 6-for-7 shooting and matched his career high by grabbing 26 rebounds. He had a double-double with seven minutes still remaining in the first half. Unfortunately for the Lakers, Howard re-aggravated an injury to his right shoulder that first occurred Friday night against the Clippers and will undergo an MRI on Monday.

NOT: The Lakers shot 57.9 percent from floor in the opening quarter and Denver missed its first nine field-goal attempts, but L.A. still trailed by eight entering the second. The Nuggets got the lead by playing turnover-free ball in the opening 12 minutes and scoring 13 points in final 2:05.

QUOTABLE II: "It's a little perplexing. It's not an easy thing."

-- D'Antoni on the Lakers' struggles

GOOD MOVE: Before the blocked shot that landed in the hands of Gallinari for the back-breaking basket, Howard had another good deed go bad. He blocked Ty Lawson's shot with 2:03 remaining and the Lakers trailing by four, secured the basketball and then tried to make an outlet pass up the middle of the floor. McGee snagged the pass, however, passed it to Miller and he sank the 14-footer to put the Nuggets back up by six points.

QUOTABLE III: "I thought as the game went on we got better defensively and that was a great win for our guys."

-- George Karl

BAD MOVE: D'Antoni kept saying things would get better once veteran point guard Steve Nash returned from a fractured lower leg that caused him to sit out 24 of the first 26 games. Nash was anything but a savior against Denver, finishing with 10 points on 3-for-8 shooting, 13 assists and a season-high five turnovers. He committed three turnovers in the first 1:24 of the second half and then was called for a technical foul 14 seconds later. Meanwhile, Miller and Lawson were accumulating 10 assists each with just one turnover between them. D'Antoni made the interesting decision to sit back-up point guard Darius Morris for just the second time in the 23 games since he took over as coach, opting to spell Nash with the much slower Chris Duhon.

NOTABLE: Nash needs five assists to reach 10,000 for his career. ... Lakers forward Pau Gasol was hit in the nose and exited the game with 1:05 remaining. He finished with 11 points and five rebounds. ... Two of Howard's 20-rebound games this season have come against Denver, but the Lakers are 1-2 when he hits that mark. ... Gallinari entered the game 18-for-35 from 3-point range in the last six games. He shot 3-for-10. ... Twelve of Denver's next 14 games are at home.

UP NEXT: For the Lakers, Tuesday @ Houston, Wednesday @ San Antonio, Friday vs. Oklahoma City. For the Nuggets, Wednesday vs. Orlando, Friday vs. Cleveland, Sunday vs. Golden State.

• Nuggets: Chandler, Miller
• Lakers: Blake, Johnson-Odom, Sacre

• Nuggets: Faried
• Lakers: Gasol, Nash

• Lead Changes: 17
• Times Tied: 9

• Arena: Staples Center, Los Angeles, CA
• Officials: #10 Ron Garretson, #11 Derrick Collins, #68 Marat Kogut
• Attendance: 18997
• Duration: 2:23