2012 NBA Playoffs

Denver, CO

After losing the first two in Los Angeles, the Denver Nuggets have won three of the last four, including Game 6's 113-96 victory over the Lakers, with Ty Lawson netting a playoff career-high 32 points Thursday night at Pepsi Center.

The younger and deeper Nuggets roared out of the starting gate and led by as many as 28 to force a Game 7.

It marked the third game where Lawson scored 25 points or more.

Lawson, who went 13-of-18 from the field and made 5-of-6 three-point attempts, unloaded 19 points in the first half for the Nuggets, who opened the contest with 13-0 blitz and never looked back.

The Denver point guard, who also dished out six assists in 30 minutes of action, tallied eight markers and pulled down three of his five rebounds during the Nuggets initial outburst.

His basket at the halftime buzzer gave the Nuggets a 54-45 lead. It provided some breathing space for Denver after the Lakers rallied to slash a 15-point deficit to four on Pau Gasol's only basket on the night.

Lawson, who scored 15.4 points per game going into Game 6 and made just two 3-pointers in the first five contests, nailed his fifth triple from the top of the circle at 1:22 to give Denver a 90-65 cushion.

Corey Brewer chipped in 18 points off the bench, while Kenneth Faried continued his strong rookie campaign as made his presence in the post against the Lakers big men, collecting 15 points and 11 boards for the victors.

Denver, which had met the Lakers on five different occasions in the playoffs, but lost all clashes including their most recent in 2009, when they succumbed to Los Angeles in the Western Conference finals that year, also received 12 points each from Danilo Gallinari and reserve guard Andre Miller.

Kobe Bryant, who received two IV bags before the game and two at halftime because of dehydration as he dealt with a stomach illness, started for the Lakers and provided more effort than his teammates. He tallied 31 markers on 13-of-23 shooting.

The Lakers failed to match Bryant's admirable performance Thursday, most notably the team's frontcourt, with Gasol finishing with only three points on one-for-10 shooting, while Andrew Bynum managed 11 points on four-for 11 shooting, and added 16 boards.

This Western Conference quarterfinal shifts back to California Saturday night for a decisive Game 7. The Lakers have lost only one Game 7 at home in their franchise history, the 1969 NBA Finals against Boston.

The Nuggets, who will attempt for a historic win Saturday, will be playing their first Game 7 since losing in the 1994 Western Conference semifinals to Utah.

Meanwhile, Nuggets' Chris "Birdman" Andersen has been reportedly "excused indefinitely" from all team-related activities in relation to an ongoing investigation into internet crimes against children.

The Denver reserve center has had property seized from his home as part of an investigation by the Douglas County Sheriff's Internet Crimes Against Children unit, the Denver Post reported.

 

 

Ty Lawson's Career Night Helps Nuggets Force Game 7 vs Lakers