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L.A. Lakers 111, Nuggets 107

By Chris Tomasson, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Published December 5, 2007 at 9:52 p.m.
Updated December 5, 2007 at 10:10 p.m.

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Forget 51. Mr. 81 had the last word.

Nuggets guard Allen Iverson looked bound for one of his best games ever. He had 49 points through three quarters, and all arrows were pointing to a Denver win.

But Kobe Bryant had something to say about that.

The Lakers guard, who had sat much of the three quarters with a left shoulder contusion and foul trouble, outscored Iverson 12-2 in the fourth quarter as Lakers won 111-107 Wednesday night at the Pepsi Center.

Bryant, who scored 81 points in a game two years ago, finished with 25. Iverson’s 51 still tied for the fourth-best in Denver’s NBA history, and made him the first Nuggets player to get 50 or more since Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf put up 51 Dec. 7, 1995.

“When I got here, I didn’t think that I would have to have a night like this,’’ said Iverson, who played all 48 minutes. “And I definitely thought that, if I did have a night like this, we would win.

“That’s the tough part about this. Because I always talk about being in Philly and having those big nights and losing games and I didn’t think it could happen (in Denver).’’

In the fourth quarter, though, Iverson was slowed. He shot 17-of-23 in the first three quarters, but was 1-of-4 in the fourth.

“When somebody’s got 49 points in the first three quarters, obviously it’s going to draw attention to the other team,’’ said Iverson, who had his 11th career 50-point game. “They wanted to make sure I got the ball out of my hands, and that’s what they did.’’

Doing some of the work covering Iverson was Bryant. The Lakers star also contributed plenty of offense.

Bryant gave the Lakers, who had trailed 100-96 with less than 4 minutes left, the lead for good at 104-102 on a driving layup with 1:42 remaining. That started a stretch in which Bryant scored six straight points for his team, the final two on a 20-foot jumper with 35.3 seconds left that gave them a 108-104 lead and pretty much settled matters.

“I’m not one of these players that believes if a guy gets hot, there’s nothing you can do about it,’’ Bryant said of turning the tables on Iverson. “The thing that caught us off guard was his aggressiveness. He hasn’t been this aggressive since he’s been in Philadelphia.’’

Bryant played all 12 minutes of the fourth quarter after logging just 19 minutes in the first three. Bryant first left in the waning seconds of the first quarter when he banged into Eduardo Najera and J.R. Smith of Denver, and injured his shoulder.

“It’s something that’s just achy,’’ said Bryant, who sat on the bench with an ice pack.

Bryant returned midway through the second quarter. But he eventually picked up his fourth foul in the first minute of the third quarter, and didn’t return until the start of the fourth.

Bryant, whose Lakers had led 60-49 with under two minutes left in the first half before Denver closed the gap to 62-58 at halftime, looked fresh the rest of the way. Iverson didn’t.

“I think he fatigued a little bit,’’ said Nuggets coach George Karl. “It was fun seeing him play that well. But it’s hard to keep your body shooting the ball and being hit and you’re fouled so often. It wears on you.’’

Karl said he normally doesn’t like using a player for 48 minutes, but he said he talked to Iverson and Anthony at the start of the fourth quarter, and they said they could go the rest of the way. Anthony played 44 minutes.

“That was (their) choice,’’ Karl, whose team must play at Dallas tonight, said of the extended minutes.

Iverson shrugged off going the whole way.

“(There might me) talk about me being an old man and all that, but I can play basketball for 48 minutes,’’ said Iverson, 32, who beat his age in the first half with 33 points, tied for the most in a half during his career.

Most of those minutes were quite impressive. Iverson drove to the basket at will, hit mid-range jumpers, and was 15-of-18 from the free-throw line.

“I felt like everything is going in,’’ said Iverson, who tied a Pepsi Center record and set a Nuggets arena record for points in a game.

Iverson even managed eight assists, although others didn’t live up to that end. Karl challenged team captains Iverson, Anthony and Marcus Camby recently that they need to combine for 20 assists.

Anthony got four, but had 26 points. Camby had just one, but grabbed 20 rebounds, although he didn’t score.

The Nuggets still haven’t beaten a team this season that currently has a winning record.

“It is tough, especially when Iverson had that awesome game and we didn’t back up him up with our defense,’’ said Nuggets forward Eduardo Najera.

Of course, Mr. 81 isn’t too bad of a scorer himself.

Comments

  • December 5, 2007

    10:21 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    duboisb writes:

    George Karl is the worst coach in the business.

    Allen Iverson has the hot hand so he tells him to pass the ball going into the fourth quarter.

    Anthony Carter is doing a great job shutting down Kobie Byrant so he doesn't play him the fourth quarter.

  • December 5, 2007

    10:36 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    sickandtired writes:

    Just finished watching the game. Am glad I had a chance to watch a great competitor - Allen Iverson - do everything he could to help the Nuggets win.

    Unfortunately for the Nuggets, all their many faults cost them the game - I saw again why I personally have little interest in watching them. This team isn't going anywhere longterm without a different attitude and different players seeing court time. And stop blaming George Karl - he's not the Nuggets big problem. He knows how to coach - he doesn't have enough players who either know how to play, or care to do it on a consistent basis.

    Carmelo Anthony is the worst excuse for a superstar I've ever seen. HE IS LAZY. He always has been, and I see no difference this year. He's talented enough to get his 25 a game, but he either "doesn't get it", or is so wrapped up in being a superstar that he doesn't care. As a matter of fact, Anthony ISN'T a superstar. He's a media creation - period. In 35 or 40 minutes of court time, he routinely actually PLAYS about 10.

    He's overweight and out of shape, and no surprise, keeps spraining his ankles. And instead of playing the other parts of the game when his shot isn't falling, he routinely does nothing. No concern for the importance of rebounding, stupid turnovers - all followed by the childish mugging for the cameras - what, me worry? Of course, the millions will keep rolling in whether he ever "gets it" or not. He's a poster child all right, but not the one everyone makes him out to be.

    One of the great things about sports competition is, sooner or later you're exposed for what you really are - and Anthony is the poster child for a pampered, vastly-overrated baby.

    I've never been a big personal fan of Iverson, but tonight I have to admit I felt bad for him - he was smoking hot for 3 quarters, but even in the NBA that can't win a game all by itself. The Nuggets really only have 3-4 players getting court time that compete consistently that I can see: Iverson, Camby, Najera and maybe Carter.

    The thing I would fault Karl for is this: why in the world do you continue to play some of these laggards and idiots? J.R. Smith, of course, falls in that category - and it's tough when your "superstar" does, too - but have you completely ignored that top teams incorporate role players into certain positions? Is there not ANYONE ELSE on your team, or that you can add to your team, that understand the importance of solid defensive play, rebounding, handling the ball, moving the ball? Or of playing WITH SOME INTENSITY on a game-by-game basis? The players you're playing significant minutes aren't going to help get it done, Coach.

    I don't envy Karl - he's stuck with Anthony, a coach-killer if I've ever seen one. And too bad for Iverson, who appears to have woken up a little from his earlier persona to realize that it takes more than immense talent to win the big games, the championships. He doesn't have enough real help on this team, unfortunately.

  • December 6, 2007

    7:36 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    r3dgraphix writes:

    Difference in this game is that most of the Lakers can hit outside shots under pressure and the Nuggets can't. This is the same problem they have had for several years now. With the talent the Nuggets have in Iverson, Melo and Camby it's a shame they don't have a supporting cast.