How real are the Lakers as NBA title contenders?
The Lakers have been on a roll since trading for Luka Doncic, but are they good enough to win a championship?
LOS ANGELES — Luka Dončić led the way for the Los Angeles Lakers in their 120-108 victory over the Denver Nuggets on Wednesday night.
Dončić scored 25 of his 31 points in the first half against the Nuggets in a game in which Los Angeles led by as many as 28 points.
Los Angeles’ quick start led to 46 points in the first quarter, the most the team had scored in any single quarter this season. The Lakers also set a franchise mark with nine three-pointers made in a single quarter.
Austin Reaves nearly produced a double-double with 22 points and eight assists as part of the Lakers’ offensive attack.
The Lakers were without LeBron James and Rui Hachimura while the Nuggets were missing Nikola Jokić and Jamal Murray in the starting lineup of a crucial game for both teams. Center Aaron Gordon scored a team-high 26 points for Denver.
The Lakers (43-25) move into third place in the Western Conference standings with the victory.
The Lakers were one game behind the Nuggets (44-26) coming into the game on Wednesday. Both teams are 13.5 games behind the Oklahoma City Thunder (57-12), which sits atop the conference standings.
Luka Doncic Stats Vs. Nuggets
- Points: 31
- FG: 10-for-21
- 3PT: 4-for-9
- FT: 7-for-10
- Rebounds: 9
- Assists: 7
- Steals: 2
- Blocks: 1
- Turnovers: 6
- Fouls: 3
- Minutes played: 32:16
Lakers’ next game
The Lakers will host the Milwaukee Bucks on Thursday and the Chicago Bulls on Saturday before playing the next four games on the road.
