Millsap, Jokic lead Nuggets past Lakers 125-116

DENVER — Nuggets coach Michael Malone had one statistic in his mind at Friday morning’s shootaround. His team is 23-6 when they win the first quarter.

Denver had lost its last two first quarters — to both Dallas and Cleveland — but came out energized Friday and won tonight’s first quarter 37-28. Denver tallied 13 assists on 15 made baskets in the period and eventually edged the Los Angeles Lakers 125-116.

The Nuggets didn’t make it easy on themselves.

After Los Angeles closed in the third quarter, Paul Millsap led a 7-0 run with just under five minutes remaining in regulation to give Denver a six-point lead a few possessions later. The Lakers got the score back to within three on a Lonzo Ball tip-in with under two minutes left. A Nikola Jokic tip-in followed by a Millsap block on Ball’s layup attempt kept Denver’s lead at five with 34.8 seconds left which sealed the win for the Nuggets.

Millsap finished with 21 points — his highest point total since the forward returned from a 44-game absence six games ago. Jokic scored 21 points to go with six rebounds and six assists.

Elsewhere for Denver, Jamal Murray finished with 20 points and eight assists. His backcourt mate Gary Harris scored 19 points and hit five of his eight three-point attempts.

All five of the Nuggets’ starters finished in double-figures.

Ball finished with 15 points, eight rebounds and eight assists.

Denver led 65-62 at the half but the Lakers — behind Ball — closed the third quarter on a 15-6 run igniting a pro-Los Angeles crowd at Pepsi Center. That L.A. run led to tonight’s tightly-contest fourth.

The Nuggets (36-30) host the Sacramento Kings (20-45) Sunday.