LOS ANGELES – The orchestra missed its conductor.
Playing without LeBron James for the first time this season, the Lakers struggled to take care of the ball – falling to the Denver Nuggets, 128-104.
The end result is a reflection of what happens when a team ends up with more turnovers (19) than assists (18).
Frank Vogel started Rajon Rondo to try to mitigate the lack of playmaking with LBJ (thoracic muscle strain) out, and the veteran did have eight dimes.
However, Anthony Davis wound up being the only starter to score in double figures.
The Brow had another fantastic performance, going off for 32 points on 13-for-23 from the floor.
He added 11 boards – five of the offensive variety to help the Lakers to a 19-5 lead on second chance points at the half.
The purple and gold just couldn’t keep up in the second half, as Denver’s ball movement and precision was in big contrast to the Lakers’ barrage of unforced errors.
Mike Malone’s squad scored 73 and turned the ball over just three times after intermission. They also scored 24 points off the Lakers' 19 miscues.
“We didn’t play good enough to win,” Vogel said. “We have to be better.”
The positive note, however, came courtesy of Kyle Kuzma, who returned after a five-game absence.
The third-year forward from Utah was the only other Laker in double figures, dropping 16 off the bench on 7-of-15 shooting.
Kuzma added a pair of blocks, a steal and four rebounds, but most importantly, he looked energetic and healthy.
“He was good,” Vogel said. “He had good energy. Our team as a whole didn’t have good energy throughout the tonight, but Kyle plays extremely hard, that’s one of his strengths.”
On the other side of the ledger, the Lakers lost their third in a row and Davis was seen hobbling after slipping on a wet spot in the second half – generating another question mark heading into the Christmas Day game on Tuesday.
Vogel said after the game that Davis told him he felt good enough to keep playing.
“I didn’t feel like he looked limited,” he added.