The Denver Nuggets played the Lakers three times in the regular season and lost all three. Only one game was close. And that was before Pau Gasol joined the Lakers.
The Nuggets got their first look at Gasol in a Lakers uniform and the look was too much to handle. Gasol scored a game-high 36 points to lead the Lakers to a 128-114, victory Sunday in Game 1 in their first-round Western Conference playoff series at Staples Center.
Gasol, who is averaging 18.9 points entering the playoffs, was an imposing figure inside and the Nuggets never figured out how to slow him down. He scored half of his points in the second half, pulled down 16 rebounds and had eight assists in his first playoff victory of his career.
The Spaniard was acquired from Memphis on Feb. 1 after spending six seasons with the Grizzlies, who were 0-12 in three previous postseasons.
Gasol was only fraction of the Nuggets’ problem. There was Kobe Bryant on the perimeter, who scored 32 points and Luke Walton, who added 16.
Lamar Odom chipped in another 17 points and 14 rebounds to add to the Nuggets’ woes that included a flagrant by J.R Smith and technical fouls by Keynon Martin, Anthony Carter and two by Allen Iverson.
Bryant struggled early in the game to find his shot, but finished strong, scoring 28 points in the second half.
Yet it’s not like the Nuggets didn’t a clue about Gasol. He ranks among the league leaders in field goal percentage at 53.4 percent and has posted 197 career double-doubles.
The teams resume their series Wednesday at Staples Center.
IT’S A START
It’s only one game, but given the teams’ recent history, the Lakers could be on their way to winning their first playoff series in four seasons.
The last time they clinched a series 2004 when they lost to Detroit in the NBA Finals. Shaquille O’Neal was traded to Miami shortly thereafter.
HE DID IT
Long considered one of NBA’s bad boys, Iverson kept up his image by picking up two technical fouls on one play. He continued to argue after fouling Bryant with 2:10 remaining, forcing the referee to eject him.
In the past, he might have argued the ejection. Perhaps even complained after the game to coaches, media – anyone within earshot. But not Sunday.
Iverson owned up to his actions, saying he “deserved to get thrown out at that point.”
“I was frustrated,” he added.
TURIAF SLOWED
Bothered by an upper respiratory illness, Ronny Turiaf only played 3:20, which meant Gasol had to play more minutes than expected, nearly 45 minutes.
“Pau mentioned the fact that Ronny wasn’t feeling well,” Jackson said. “I said ‘Can you go the distance?’ At some point in the fourth quarter, I asked him (Gasol) how he was doing and he said OK. He was all right and he played a great game for us.”
