LOS ANGELES -- — Nikola Jokic scored 34 points and Michael Porter Jr. added 24 as the Denver Nuggets used a strong second half to beat the Los Angeles Lakers 127-102 on Saturday night.

Russell Westbrook had 14 points, 11 assists and seven rebounds for Denver against his former team.

Austin Reaves scored 19 points and LeBron James added 18 for the Lakers, who lost consecutive home games after starting the season 7-0 at home. Rui Hachimura, back in the starting lineup after missed the previous five games with a left ankle sprain, scored 10 points in 22 minutes.

It was the teams' first meeting since the Nuggets beat the Lakers in the first round of the playoffs earlier this year. Denver also swept them in the Western Conference final the previous year.

Denver trailed by six points at halftime but outscored Los Angeles 37-15 in the third quarter and 70-39 for the second half while dominating inside and outside.

Takeaways

Lakers: The Lakers led 63-57 at halftime and let the game get away from them in a lackluster third quarter. It shows they still have much work to do to get out from Denver’s control.

Nuggets: Even in playing on the second of a back-to-back and traveling, Denver still had the legs for long-range shots. Denver was 16 for 32 on 3-pointers.

Key moment

Westbrook had a putback dunk at the end of the third quarter to put the finishing touches on an authoritative quarter and extend the lead to 94-77. Westbrook then twirled his arms around emphatically in celebration as he ran back down the floor.

Key stat

The Nuggets outscored the Lakers 20-4 in the paint in the third quarter.Jokic had nine points in the pivotal third in which Denver scored 37 points.

Up Next

Nuggets host the New York Knicks on Monday, and Lakers visit Phoenix to open a road back-to-back.

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AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba

Play By Play

Recent plays and game events

TIME	PLAY
12:00	Nikola Jokic vs. Anthony Davis (Jamal Murray gains possession)	0	0
11:37	Christian Braun makes 2-foot two point shot (Peyton Watson assists)	0	2
11:18	Austin Reaves makes 22-foot three point jumper (LeBron James assists)	3	2
10:53	Jamal Murray bad pass (Cam Reddish steals)	3	2
10:44	Anthony Davis misses 25-foot three point jumper	3	2
10:39	Peyton Watson defensive rebound	3	2
10:39	Peyton Watson lost ball turnover (Cam Reddish steals)	3	2
10:35	Cam Reddish bad pass (Jamal Murray steals)	3	2
10:31	Jamal Murray makes two point shot (Christian Braun assists)	3	4
10:09	LeBron James misses 20-foot jumper	3	4
10:04	Jamal Murray defensive rebound	3	4
10:01	Jamal Murray makes 29-foot running pullup jump shot	3	7
9:53	Rui Hachimura makes 2-foot driving dunk (LeBron James assists)	5	7
9:41	Michael Porter Jr. misses 25-foot three point jumper	5	7
9:39	Austin Reaves defensive rebound	5	7
9:27	Austin Reaves makes 12-foot two point shot (Anthony Davis assists)	7	7
9:15	Jamal Murray misses driving layup	7	7
9:11	Nikola Jokic offensive rebound	7	7
9:11	Nikola Jokic misses two point shot	7	7
9:09	LeBron James defensive rebound	7	7
9:06	LeBron James makes two point shot (Austin Reaves assists)	9	7
8:42	Christian Braun makes 23-foot three point jumper (Jamal Murray assists)	9	10
8:24	LeBron James misses 13-foot two point shot	9	10
8:20	Rui Hachimura offensive rebound	9	10
8:07	Cam Reddish misses 25-foot three point jumper	9	10
7:58	Austin Reaves offensive rebound	9	10
7:52	Rui Hachimura misses 25-foot three point jumper	9	10
7:48	Michael Porter Jr. defensive rebound	9	10
7:44	Anthony Davis shooting foul	9	10
7:44	Nikola Jokic makes free throw 1 of 2	9	11
7:44	Nikola Jokic makes free throw 2 of 2	9	12
7:29	Austin Reaves makes 9-foot driving floating jump shot (LeBron James assists)	11	12
7:14	Nikola Jokic out of bounds bad pass turnover	11	12
6:58	Anthony Davis misses 15-foot two point shot	11	12
6:54	Nikola Jokic defensive rebound	11	12
6:49	Michael Porter Jr. misses running pullup jump shot	11	12
6:46	Nikola Jokic offensive rebound	11	12
6:45	Nikola Jokic makes two point shot	11	14
6:32	Christian Braun personal foul	11	14
6:32	Lakers Full timeout	11	14
6:32	D'Angelo Russell enters the game for Cam Reddish	11	14
6:23	D'Angelo Russell misses 22-foot three point jumper	11	14
6:21	Nikola Jokic defensive rebound	11	14
6:09	Peyton Watson misses driving floating jump shot	11	14
6:07	Anthony Davis defensive rebound	11	14
6:01	Peyton Watson blocks Rui Hachimura 's 7-foot driving layup	11	14
5:58	Nikola Jokic defensive rebound	11	14
5:50	Christian Braun bad pass (Rui Hachimura steals)	11	14
5:44	D'Angelo Russell misses driving floating jump shot	11	14
5:40	Anthony Davis offensive rebound	11	14
5:40	Anthony Davis makes tip shot	13	14
5:24	Nikola Jokic lost ball turnover (Anthony Davis steals)	13	14
5:21	Austin Reaves makes 26-foot running pullup jump shot (Rui Hachimura assists)	16	14
5:07	Anthony Davis kicked ball violation	16	14
5:07	Dalton Knecht enters the game for LeBron James	16	14
5:07	Max Christie enters the game for Rui Hachimura	16	14
5:07	Julian Strawther enters the game for Christian Braun	16	14
5:07	Trey Alexander enters the game for Michael Porter Jr.	16	14
4:58	Trey Alexander makes 24-foot three point jumper (Julian Strawther assists)	16	17
4:37	Anthony Davis misses 6-foot two point shot	16	17
4:35	Nikola Jokic defensive rebound	16	17
4:31	Anthony Davis blocks Peyton Watson 's 2-foot driving dunk	16	17
4:31	Dalton Knecht defensive rebound	16	17
4:25	Austin Reaves makes two point shot (Dalton Knecht assists)	18	17
4:14	Trey Alexander misses 24-foot three point jumper	18	17
4:14	Anthony Davis defensive rebound	18	17
4:00	Max Christie makes driving layup (Austin Reaves assists)	20	17
3:38	Jamal Murray misses 27-foot three point step back jumpshot	20	17
3:37	Lakers defensive team rebound	20	17
3:37	Russell Westbrook enters the game for Peyton Watson	20	17
3:26	Austin Reaves misses 25-foot three point jumper	20	17
3:23	Russell Westbrook defensive rebound	20	17
3:19	Nikola Jokic makes 28-foot three point shot (Russell Westbrook assists)	20	20
3:04	Max Christie makes 26-foot three point jumper (D'Angelo Russell assists)	23	20
2:54	Nikola Jokic misses 28-foot three point pullup jump shot	23	20
2:50	D'Angelo Russell defensive rebound	23	20
2:49	D'Angelo Russell misses 25-foot three point shot	23	20
2:45	Jamal Murray defensive rebound	23	20
2:38	Nuggets Full timeout	23	20
2:38	Christian Braun enters the game for Julian Strawther	23	20
2:38	Michael Porter Jr. enters the game for Jamal Murray	23	20
2:28	Michael Porter Jr. makes 2-foot dunk (Russell Westbrook assists)	23	22
2:03	Anthony Davis misses driving layup	23	22
2:01	Russell Westbrook defensive rebound	23	22
1:59	Christian Braun steps out of bounds turnover	23	22
1:59	LeBron James enters the game for Anthony Davis	23	22
1:59	Christian Koloko enters the game for Austin Reaves	23	22
1:46	LeBron James bad pass (Christian Braun steals)	23	22
1:29	Christian Braun makes 25-foot three point jumper (Nikola Jokic assists)	23	25
1:23	Trey Alexander shooting foul	23	25
1:23	D'Angelo Russell makes free throw 1 of 2	24	25
1:23	D'Angelo Russell makes free throw 2 of 2	25	25
1:16	Michael Porter Jr. offensive foul	25	25
1:16	Michael Porter Jr. turnover	25	25
59.1	Max Christie out of bounds bad pass turnover	25	25
53.1	Nikola Jokic makes 2-foot layup (Russell Westbrook assists)	25	27
43.0	LeBron James makes 15-foot two point shot (D'Angelo Russell assists)	27	27
38.1	Christian Braun makes 3-foot two point shot (Russell Westbrook assists)	27	29
24.1	LeBron James out of bounds bad pass turnover	27	29
5.0	Nikola Jokic makes 6-foot two point shot (Russell Westbrook assists)	27	31
2.1	D'Angelo Russell misses 26-foot three point pullup jump shot	27	31
0.0	Nikola Jokic defensive rebound	27	31
0.0	End of the 1st Quarter	27	31

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Game Information

Time, Location & Referees

Venue

crypto.com Arena

Los Angeles, CA

Date & Time

3:30 AM, November 24, 2024

Coverage

NBA TV, Spectrum Sports Net, Altitude Sports

Attendance

18,997

Referees

Phenizee Ransom, Ben Taylor, Mousa Dagher

2025-26 Northwest Standings

TEAM	W	L	PCT	STRK
Oklahoma City	46	15	.754	W1
Denver	37	23	.617	L1
Minnesota	37	23	.617	W2
Portland	29	32	.475	L1
Utah	18	42	.300	L5

2025-26 Pacific Standings

TEAM	W	L	PCT	STRK
LA Lakers	35	24	.593	W1
Phoenix	34	26	.567	W1
Golden State	31	29	.517	L1
LA Clippers	27	31	.466	L3
Sacramento	14	47	.230	W1

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Jokic score 34, Porter adds 24 as Nuggets use strong second half to beat Lakers 127-102

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