Jamal Murray led the Nuggets to a 114-106 win over the Lakers on Thursday, following the Lakers’ tribute to the late NBA legend Kobe Bryant with the unveiling of a statue.
Jamal Murray scored 29 points and had a game-high 11 assists with seven rebounds, while Nikola Jokic contributed 24 points, 13 rebounds, and nine assists, and Michael Porter Jr. added 27 points to lead the Nuggets. The Nuggets share the Western Conference lead with Minnesota at 36-16. The Lakers erased a 15-point deficit late in the game, but the defending NBA champions closed with a 10-2 run to secure their seventh consecutive victory against the Lakers.
Anthony Davis led the Lakers with 32 points and nine rebounds, while LeBron James added 25 points, nine rebounds, and seven assists. The late Bryant, a five-time NBA champion and 18-time NBA All-Star, played for the Lakers from 1996-2016 before his death in a 2020 helicopter crash. A 19-foot bronze statue, weighing 4,000 pounds, depicting Bryant in his number 8 Lakers jersey with his right index finger raised, stands outside the Lakers’ home arena, where Bryant delivered many of his greatest performances.
Stephen Curry led Golden State to a 131-109 victory over Indiana by scoring 42 points, making 11 out of 16 3-point shots and 15 out of 22 overall. This game marked Curry’s 13th career game with 11 or more 3-point baskets, setting an NBA record. He also started the game by making 7 out of 7 shots from beyond the arc for the first time in his career. With this win, Golden State now has a record of 24-25 after securing their third consecutive victory.
Anthony Edwards of Minnesota scored 26 points and dished out nine assists to lead the Timberwolves to a 129-105 win over Milwaukee, allowing them to tie for the top spot in the Western Conference with Denver.
Donovan Mitchell contributed 27 points and Evan Mobley recorded 14 points and 12 rebounds to lead Cleveland to a 118-95 victory over Brooklyn, extending the Cavaliers’ winning streak to eight games.
Dallas guard Luka Doncic led the visiting Mavericks to a 122-108 victory over a shorthanded New York team by scoring 39 points, dishing out 11 assists, securing eight rebounds, and recording four steals.
Kevin Durant scored 31 points, grabbed eight rebounds, dished out seven assists, made three steals, and blocked two shots, while Bradley Beal contributed 30 points and seven assists to help the Phoenix Suns defeat the Utah team 129-115. The Suns, without their All-Star guard Devin Booker due to a sore left hip, advanced to a 31-21 record, placing them fifth in the Western Conference.
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