The Los Angeles Lakers (43-25) got their revenge and then some against the Denver Nuggets (44-26) on Wednesday night, beating them 120-108 at home after losing 131-126 on the road last Friday.
Both teams were shorthanded, as the Lakers were without LeBron James (groin) and Rui Hachimura (knee). At the same time, the Nuggets sat Nikola Jokic, (ankle, elbow), Jamal Murray (ankle), and Julian Strawther (knee).
Luka Doncic went off for Los Angeles as usual, leading all players with 31 points (10-21 FG, 4-9 3 PT) in 32 minutes. The superstar guard added eight rebounds, seven assists, two steals, and a block.
Denver coach Michael Malone admitted that his team had no answer for Doncic, via The AP's Greg Beacham.
"They jumped us," Malone said. "Luka jumped us. ... You can have any game plan in the world, (but if) you get punched in the mouth, you're on your heels."
"They jumped us. Luka jumped us. ... You can have any game plan in the world, (but if) you get punched in the mouth, you're on your heels." --Denver coach Michael Malone
— Greg Beacham (@gregbeacham) March 20, 2025
Doncic has scored at least 30 points in six of his last 10 games, including a 45-point outburst in Los Angeles' 126-106 loss to the Milwaukee Bucks on March 13.
Austin Reaves was once again a credible No. 2 option in this game, tallying 22 points (8-16 FG, 2-7 3 PT) with eight assists, five rebounds, two steals, and one block in 36 minutes.
Furthermore, the Lakers' bench showed up, producing three double-digit scorers compared to just one for the Nuggets. Dalton Knecht (12 points), Gabe Vincent (12), and Jarred Vanderbilt (10) all hit that mark for Los Angeles, while Denver only had Jalen Pickett (14).
Next up for the Lakers is a home date with the Bucks (38-30) on Thursday night.
Related: Luka Doncic Sends Message After Lakers' Third Straight Win
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This story was originally published March 20, 2025 at 1:40 AM.