Kobe Bryant leads Lakers past Nuggets, 111-103

Lakers 111, Nuggets 103 (final)

With a triple-double, Kobe Bryant led the Lakers to an eight-point victory on Tuesday night in Denver against the Nuggets, ending a three-game losing streak.

Bryant scored 23 points with 11 rebounds and 11 assists in 31 1/2 minutes, shooting six for 11 from the field.

The Lakers took a 23-point lead in the third quarter, but turnovers helped the Nuggets climb all the way back to within five in the fourth.

Carlos Boozer added 19 points off the bench. Ronnie Price scored 18, Wesley Johnson 16 and Jordan Hill 12 as the Lakers shot 52.6% from the field and 56.0% from three-point range (14-25).

Ty Lawson and Jusuf Nurkic each scored 16 points and Lawson added nine assists. The Nuggets shot 44.8% from the field and 30.8% from distance (8-26).

Bryant neared a quadruple-double, though not an attractive one, with nine turnovers. The Lakers had 20 as a team -- Denver had just 11.

After sparking the Nuggets’ run, Nate Robinson was ejected in the fourth quarter after picking up a second technical foul for arguing a call.

New Lakers center Tarik Black didn’t play. He’s expected to go through his first practice with the Lakers on Wednesday.

The Lakers (10-22) return home to host the Memphis Grizzlies (23-8) on Friday at Staples Center. The Nuggets (13-19) travel to Miami, to play the Heat (14-18) on Thursday.

Lakers 83, Nuggets 71 (end of third quarter)

After pushing ahead by 23 points, the Lakers seemed to take their foot off the gas, the Nuggets scrambling to trim the deficit to 12 after three quarters.

In 24 1/2 minutes, Kobe Bryant needed just one more rebound for a triple-double with 14 points, 10 assists and nine boards. Bryant shot five for nine from the field but turned the ball over six times.

The Lakers were led by Wesley Johnson with 16 points. Ronnie Price added 13 while Jordan Hill scored 12.

Ty Lawson scored 12 points with seven assists as the Nuggets shot 40.6% from the field and 29.4% from three-point range (5-17).

The Lakers hit 54.1% from the field and 63.2% (12-19) from deep.

Lakers 62, Nuggets 46 (halftime)

The Lakers continued to bombard the Nuggets, shooting 61% from the field for the half, while Denver hit just 37.2%.

Wesley Johnson and Carlos Boozer each scored 11 points. Kobe Bryant scored 10 with seven rebounds and six assists. Ronnie Price and Jordan Hill added eight apiece.

The Lakers shot 69.2% from three-point range (9-13), while Denver was a paltry 16.7 (2-12). Arron Afflalo, Timofey Mozgov and Wilson Chandler led the Nuggets with nine each.

Denver had an 8-1 advantage on the offensive glass, although the Lakers had fewer opportunities with 16 missed shots. The Nuggets couldn’t connect on 27 of their 43 attempts.

Lakers 33, Nuggets 29 (end of first quarter)

The Lakers opened up on fire in Denver on Tuesday night, hitting 11 of their first 12 shots to build up a 12-point lead.

Eventually, the Nuggets were able to close the game to within four points, finishing the quarter on a 6-2 run.

Kobe Bryant and Wesley Johnson led all scorers with eight points each. Bryant hit all three of his attempts and dished out four assists.

Wilson Chandler scored seven to pace Denver.

The Lakers shot 66.7% from the field and 71.4% from three-point range. The Nuggets hit 42.9% and 33.3%, respectively.

Both teams turned the ball over twice. The Lakers did not attempt a free throw.

Pregame

The Lakers (9-22) look to break a three-game losing streak in Denver on Tuesday night against the Nuggets (13-18).

Denver previously beat the Lakers in late November in overtime, 101-94.

The Lakers will play without Ryan Kelly (hamstring), Steve Nash (back) and Julius Randle (leg). Danilo Gallinari (knee) and JaVale McGee (leg) are out for the Nuggets. Randy Foye has also missed games with a quad injury.

For an in-depth breakdown, check out Preview: Lakers at Denver Nuggets.

Email Eric Pincus at [email protected] and follow him on Twitter @EricPincus.