DENVER -- — Luka Doncic had 38 points, 13 rebounds and 10 assists, and the Los Angeles Lakers rallied to beat the Denver Nuggets 115-107 on Tuesday night.

LeBron James, who was not voted an All-Star starter for the first time since his rookie season, scored 19 points for Los Angeles, which played the second half without center Deandre Ayton due to a left eye injury.

Jamal Murray scored 26 of his 28 points in the first half for Denver and added 11 assists, but shot just 1 for 5 in the second half.

With Denver Broncos cornerback Patrick Surtain II sitting courtside, the short-handed Nuggets led by 16 in the third quarter despite missing four rotation players, including Nikola Jokic, who has missed the last 12 games with a hyperextended left knee.

Aaron Gordon and Peyton Watson scored 18 apiece for the Nuggets.

A close game added to the budding rivalry that began in the 2023 Western Conference finals, when Denver swept the Lakers on its way to the NBA title.

It appeared the Nuggets would cruise to another win after jumping out to a 13-point lead in the first quarter and had a strong end to the second quarter.

Murray finished the first half with a 35-second flurry to give Denver a 71-57 lead. He fed Gordon for a lob dunk, assisted on Watson’s 3-pointer with 7.3 seconds left and then drained a 56-foot heave at the horn.

Murray missed both of his shots in the third quarter when Los Angeles outscored the Nuggets 29-17 to close within 88-86.

The Lakers tied it early in the fourth and took their first lead on two free throws by Doncic with 6:42 left during a 16-0 run that turned a two-point deficit into a 108-96 lead.

Up next

Lakers: Head back to Los Angeles for a road game at the Clippers on Thursday night.

Nuggets: Begin a three-game road trip at Washington on Thursday night.

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

Play By Play

Recent plays and game events

TIME	PLAY
12:00	Deandre Ayton vs. Aaron Gordon (Jamal Murray gains possession)	0	0
11:44	Jalen Pickett makes 26-foot three point jumper (Peyton Watson assists)	3	0
11:21	Luka Doncic makes 11-foot driving floating jump shot	3	2
11:04	Spencer Jones makes 23-foot three point jumper (Jamal Murray assists)	6	2
10:45	LeBron James misses 15-foot two point shot	6	2
10:42	Jalen Pickett defensive rebound	6	2
10:34	Jamal Murray makes 16-foot two point shot	8	2
10:17	Deandre Ayton makes driving layup (Luka Doncic assists)	8	4
10:00	Peyton Watson makes 26-foot three point jumper (Jalen Pickett assists)	11	4
9:46	Luka Doncic makes 9-foot driving floating jump shot	11	6
9:31	Jamal Murray makes 24-foot three point jumper (Aaron Gordon assists)	14	6
9:15	Luka Doncic makes 25-foot three point jumper (Marcus Smart assists)	14	9
8:57	Luka Doncic shooting foul	14	9
8:57	Aaron Gordon misses free throw 1 of 2	14	9
8:57	Nuggets offensive team rebound	14	9
8:57	Aaron Gordon makes free throw 2 of 2	15	9
8:48	Deandre Ayton misses driving floating jump shot	15	9
8:47	Lakers offensive team rebound	15	9
8:35	LeBron James bad pass turnover (Peyton Watson steals)	15	9
8:28	Peyton Watson misses driving floating jump shot	15	9
8:27	Jake LaRavia defensive rebound	15	9
8:23	Marcus Smart misses 24-foot running jump shot	15	9
8:19	Nuggets defensive team rebound	15	9
8:09	Peyton Watson misses two point shot	15	9
8:07	Deandre Ayton defensive rebound	15	9
7:54	LeBron James offensive foul	15	9
7:54	LeBron James offensive foul turnover	15	9
7:42	Aaron Gordon misses 26-foot three point pullup jump shot	15	9
7:39	Luka Doncic defensive rebound	15	9
7:24	Luka Doncic makes driving layup	15	11
7:11	Jalen Pickett misses 16-foot pullup jump shot	15	11
7:08	LeBron James defensive rebound	15	11
7:04	LeBron James lost ball turnover (Jalen Pickett steals)	15	11
6:54	Spencer Jones makes 23-foot three point jumper (Jamal Murray assists)	18	11
6:40	Luka Doncic makes 28-foot three point jumper	18	14
6:18	Peyton Watson misses 14-foot step back jumpshot	18	14
6:15	LeBron James defensive rebound	18	14
6:05	Deandre Ayton misses 9-foot two point shot	18	14
6:03	Spencer Jones defensive rebound	18	14
5:55	Jamal Murray makes 25-foot three point step back jumpshot	21	14
5:45	Lakers Full timeout	21	14
5:45	Tim Hardaway Jr. enters the game for Jalen Pickett	21	14
5:45	Rui Hachimura enters the game for LeBron James	21	14
5:45	Jaxson Hayes enters the game for Deandre Ayton	21	14
5:45	Gabe Vincent enters the game for Marcus Smart	21	14
5:33	Luka Doncic makes 12-foot driving floating jump shot (Jake LaRavia assists)	21	16
5:14	Jaxson Hayes blocks Jamal Murray 's 26-foot three point pullup jump shot	21	16
5:11	Luka Doncic defensive rebound	21	16
5:05	Rui Hachimura misses 11-foot pullup jump shot	21	16
5:02	Spencer Jones defensive rebound	21	16
4:53	Spencer Jones makes 25-foot three point jumper (Jamal Murray assists)	24	16
4:33	Jake LaRavia makes 5-foot pullup jump shot	24	18
4:33	Jamal Murray shooting foul	24	18
4:33	Zeke Nnaji enters the game for Aaron Gordon	24	18
4:33	Jake LaRavia makes free throw 1 of 1	24	19
4:29	Jake LaRavia personal foul	24	19
4:29	Jarred Vanderbilt enters the game for Jake LaRavia	24	19
4:29	Jarred Vanderbilt away from play foul	24	19
4:29	Jamal Murray makes free throw 1 of 1	25	19
4:20	Tim Hardaway Jr. misses 15-foot fade away jump shot	25	19
4:18	Luka Doncic defensive rebound	25	19
4:13	Zeke Nnaji shooting foul	25	19
4:13	Jaxson Hayes makes free throw 1 of 2	25	20
4:13	Jaxson Hayes misses free throw 2 of 2	25	20
4:11	Peyton Watson defensive rebound	25	20
3:50	Spencer Jones makes 27-foot three point jumper (Jamal Murray assists)	28	20
3:32	Zeke Nnaji shooting foul	28	20
3:32	Luka Doncic makes free throw 1 of 2	28	21
3:32	Luka Doncic makes free throw 2 of 2	28	22
3:19	Jamal Murray makes 4-foot two point shot	30	22
3:11	Luka Doncic bad pass turnover (Peyton Watson steals)	30	22
2:51	Peyton Watson makes 24-foot three pointer (Jamal Murray assists)	33	22
2:34	Jarred Vanderbilt misses 24-foot three point jumper	33	22
2:31	Tim Hardaway Jr. defensive rebound	33	22
2:20	Gabe Vincent shooting foul	33	22
2:20	Nuggets Full timeout	33	22
2:20	Bruce Brown enters the game for Spencer Jones	33	22
2:20	LeBron James enters the game for Luka Doncic	33	22
2:20	Jamal Murray makes free throw 1 of 2	34	22
2:20	Jamal Murray makes free throw 2 of 2	35	22
2:03	Jaxson Hayes misses driving floating jump shot	35	22
2:00	Bruce Brown defensive rebound	35	22
1:50	Jamal Murray misses 12-foot turnaround jump shot	35	22
1:47	Rui Hachimura defensive rebound	35	22
1:35	Peyton Watson blocks LeBron James's two point shot	35	22
1:34	Lakers offensive team rebound	35	22
1:34	Jalen Pickett enters the game for Jamal Murray	35	22
1:34	Deandre Ayton enters the game for Jaxson Hayes	35	22
1:28	Rui Hachimura makes reverse layup (LeBron James assists)	35	24
1:15	Peyton Watson misses two point shot	35	24
1:12	Deandre Ayton defensive rebound	35	24
1:03	Rui Hachimura makes 1-foot layup (Jarred Vanderbilt assists)	35	26
51.5	Gabe Vincent personal foul	35	26
51.5	Tim Hardaway Jr. makes free throw 1 of 2	36	26
51.5	Tim Hardaway Jr. makes free throw 2 of 2	37	26
37.7	Rui Hachimura misses 15-foot pullup jump shot	37	26
34.6	Jalen Pickett defensive rebound	37	26
24.5	Bruce Brown misses driving floating jump shot	37	26
21.4	Deandre Ayton defensive rebound	37	26
0.0	LeBron James makes 14-foot fade away jump shot	37	28
0.0	(00:00) [Lakers] REF-INITIATED REVIEW (REPLAY SUPPORTS CALL)	37	28
0.0	End of the 1st Quarter	37	28

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Game Information

Time, Location & Referees

Venue

Ball Arena

Denver, CO

Date & Time

3:00 AM, January 21, 2026

Coverage

NBC, Peacock, Spectrum Sports Net, Spectrum Sports Net +, Altitude Sports

Attendance

19,974

Referees

Jason Goldenberg, Tyler Ford, JD Ralls

2025-26 Pacific Standings

TEAM	W	L	PCT	STRK
LA Lakers	38	25	.603	W1
Phoenix	36	27	.571	W1
Golden State	32	30	.516	W1
LA Clippers	30	32	.484	L1
Sacramento	14	50	.219	L3

2025-26 Northwest Standings

TEAM	W	L	PCT	STRK
Oklahoma City	49	15	.766	W4
Minnesota	40	23	.635	W5
Denver	39	25	.609	L1
Portland	30	34	.469	L1
Utah	19	44	.302	W1

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Doncic has a triple-double as the Lakers rally past the short-handed Nuggets, 115-107

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