Kyle Kuzma was one of the few encouraging stories for the Lakers inside the Disney bubble, and he just gave them their biggest pass. Not only did he score 25 points in 11 of 16 shots, but he hit the winning 3-pointer with just 0.4 seconds remaining in a 124-121 win over the Denver Nuggets. While the Lakers had nothing to gain by winning the game itself, the win was a huge moral victory for a team that had started 2-4 in the bubble with the worst offense of any of the 22 invited teams.
The Nuggets, meanwhile, can hold their heads high after their backups tiptoe with the Lakers for the full fourth quarter. The starters were also good in their run, as Michael Porter Jr. didn’t miss a shot to reach 15 points. The Nuggets remain almost certain of the number 3 seed in the Western Conference, while the Lakers have long since clinched the number 1. While this wasn’t exactly a preview of the playoffs given the long minutes played by the Denver backup, it was a solid proof for both parties. The Lakers and the Nuggets got exactly what they needed from this game.
