In Denver’s loudest moments, the visitors got louder. The Los Angeles Lakers trailed by 16 in the third quarter and looked out of rhythm, but Luka Doncic slammed the door on the night with a forceful triple-double as L.A. surged past the short-handed Denver Nuggets, 115-107, at Ball Arena on January 20, 2026.

By the final buzzer, the purple and gold chants that were booed early had room to echo. The Lakers closed with a 16-0 run, holding Denver scoreless for more than six and a half minutes to flip the game and the building.

Doncic puts on a starter’s show in All-Star tune-up

Doncic, named an All-Star starter on Monday and the league’s top vote-getter, reminded everyone why. He finished with 38 points, 13 rebounds, and 10 assists on 12-of-21 shooting, adding two steals and knocking down three triples. It was his fifth triple-double of the season and his 52nd career 30-plus point triple-double — the second-most in NBA history.

He also logged his seventh game this season with at least 35 points, 10 assists, and five rebounds — a Lakers franchise record. The night had some edge, too: he picked up his 13th technical foul of the campaign. That fire matched the moment.

“This is what MVP control looks like — tempo, boards, and buckets on demand.”

The 16-0 run that flipped the game

Denver led 71-57 at halftime and appeared on cruise control after bombing L.A. with pace and shot-making. But the Lakers won the second half 58-36 and completely owned the fourth quarter’s key stretch. The defense tightened, the rebounding gap widened, and Denver’s offense stalled out.

Marcus Smart was the spark plug. He scored 11 of his 15 points during the 16-0 run, turning deflections into fast-break chances and hitting timely shots. The Nuggets, without Nikola Jokic (hyperextended left knee) and Jonas Valanciunas (calf), struggled to find a steady organizer once the Lakers increased pressure.

Los Angeles also punished Denver on the glass, finishing with a 51-31 rebound edge. That dominance mattered even more after starting center Deandre Ayton left in the second quarter with a left eye injury. The Lakers rebounded in packs and turned every stop into a chance to run or force a mismatch.

“No Jokic, no boards — but that 51-31 gap is effort, not just size.”

Murray’s hot start fades under second-half heat

Jamal Murray looked unstoppable before the break. He poured in 26 first-half points, including a near full-court heave at the buzzer to put Denver up 14. But Los Angeles changed the angles and bodies on him after halftime. Murray went 1-for-5 in the second half and finished with 28 points and 11 assists.

Without Jokic’s playmaking gravity, Denver’s late-game offense can drift into tough jumpers. The Lakers smelled that and loaded up at the elbows and nail. Aaron Gordon battled to 18 points, and Peyton Watson matched him with 18, but the Nuggets’ rhythm vanished when Los Angeles started winning the possession game.

LeBron steadies, Smart swings, and the rivalry breathes

LeBron James nearly added another triple-double himself, posting 19 points, nine rebounds, and eight assists while picking pockets and finding shooters. In a season where he was not voted an All-Star starter for the first time since his rookie year, James is still the Lakers’ steady hand in key moments. He let Doncic cook, then chose his spots.

Smart’s two-way surge was the game’s hinge. His pressure defense helped force Denver into late-clock decisions during the decisive run, and his shot-making gave Los Angeles the cushion to finish the job. The balance between Doncic’s creation, LeBron’s poise, and Smart’s scrappiness has given the Lakers a clear closing identity.

“Denver swept 2023, but this felt like a statement that L.A. can own the clutch now.”

Numbers that tell the story

• Final: Lakers 115, Nuggets 107
• Quarters: Lakers 28-29-29-29; Nuggets 37-34-17-19
• Halftime: Nuggets 71, Lakers 57
• Rebounds: Lakers 51, Nuggets 31
• Lakers record: 26-16; Nuggets: 29-15

Beyond the headline numbers, the game’s flow was simple: Denver blitzed early, the Lakers absorbed it, then L.A.’s defense and rebounding flipped the math. Holding an NBA team scoreless for more than six and a half minutes, in their own building, is about as loud as a road team can speak.

Context matters: shorthanded, but not simple

The Nuggets were missing their two primary centers, a massive blow in any matchup. Jokic has already missed 12 games with a hyperextended left knee, and Valanciunas’ calf issue cut further into Denver’s size and screening. But Los Angeles still had to finish plays and be sharp.

That’s where Doncic’s composure and the Lakers’ group rebounding stood out. Even after Ayton exited with his eye injury, the Lakers never blinked inside. Denver found itself boxed out, walled off, and increasingly rushed. In that stretch, L.A. looked like the stronger, smarter team — not just the healthier one.

What it means and what’s next

This rivalry, shaped by the Nuggets’ 2023 Western Conference finals sweep on their title run, has fresh life. The Lakers now have a go-to formula in big moments: Doncic drives the action, LeBron manages tempo and matchups, and the rest commit to the dirty work. If that backbone holds, Los Angeles will travel well in any arena.

For Denver, there are positives even in a frustrating night. Murray was brilliant early and continues to make an All-Star push. Once Jokic and Valanciunas return, the Nuggets’ late-game structure should stabilize. But the lesson is clear: the margin shrinks a lot without elite rebounding and a hub to organize the half-court.

Next up, the Lakers visit the Clippers on Thursday. The Nuggets begin a road trip the same night in Washington. Different cities, same test: how well can you close when the game gets tight?

On this night, the answer belonged to Doncic — again.