Hometown kid Dalton Knecht helped out the Lakers with 32 points in a starting role. The Nuggets couldn’t defend, but they found enough buckets in the end.

Jamal Murray sank a 3-pointer with 5.6 seconds left and Russell Westbrook stole the inbounds pass for a exclamation-point dunk as the Denver Nuggets rebuffed the scrappy, short-handed Los Angeles Lakers 131-126 Friday night.

Playing without four starters and two other rotation players, Austin Reaves (37 points, 13 assists), Dalton Knecht (32 points) and the Lakers scrap their way to a lead in the final minute before

Copyright © 2025 Bleacher Report, Inc. A Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All Rights Reserved.

Reeling with injuries, the Lakers will be without Doncic due to left calf injury management and a sprained right ankle

Luka Doncic won't play against the Denver Nuggets on Friday night, joining LeBron James on the Los Angeles Lakers' lengthy list of unavailable players. The Lakers ruled the star guard out on the second night of back-to-back games because of left calf injury management and a right ankle sprain.