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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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 GAME FLOW
DENVER (AP) -- Shaquille O'Neal scored a season-high 36 points Thursday night, and that suited the Denver Nuggets fine.
"We followed our game plan that was basically, let Shaq beat
us," Denver coach Dan Issel said after a 93-82 victory over the
Los Angeles Lakers. "We really didn't care how many points he got,
just so that nobody else chimed in."
|  | | Shaquille O'Neal scored 36 points for the Lakers, but didn't get much help. He was also horrible at the line. |
Nobody else did as the Nuggets stopped a three-game losing
streak.
O'Neal was just 2-for-14 from the foul line, including 1-for-12
in the fourth quarter. Derek Fisher, with 15 points, was the only
other player in double figures for the Lakers.
"We didn't get anything from anyone but Shaq tonight," said Los Angeles coach Phil Jackson, who used two timeouts in the first three minutes after a lethargic start. "I came in at halftime
concerned and I told the players we weren't hustling to win the game."
Ron Mercer scored 24 points and Nick Van Exel had 23 against his
former team. Van Exel, acquired from the Lakers on June 24, 1998,
for Tony Battie, was 4-for-8 with two 3-pointers in the final period.
"Any time you play against your former team you want to beat
them," Van Exel said. "The trade was fresh on my mind last year.
This year I am over it."
Antonio McDyess added 15 points and 13 rebounds before fouling out late in the game for Denver.
Denver took a 69-59 lead into the fourth quarter and extended it
to 75-62 with 9:10 left on Van Exel's 3-pointer.
Two short jumpers by O'Neal got the Lakers within 75-66 with
7:45 left, but he missed four straight free throws while Van Exel
hit a 3-pointer and a layup to build the edge to 81-66.
"Getting Shaq in foul trouble in the second half was a factor
because he couldn't guard Antonio," Issel said. "They switched
him on Raef (LaFrentz) and that was to our advantage because he
can't play the pick-and-roll out on the perimeter."
Trailing 42-39 at halftime, Mercer had a three-point play and a
dunk as Denver rallied for a 55-41 lead. O'Neal's short jumper with
5:11 left in the quarter halted the momentum briefly, but a layup
by McDyess finished a 10-0 run for the Nuggets.
James Posey's 3-pointer at the buzzer after a steal gave Denver a 13-point lead.
O'Neal had 10 points in the second quarter as McDyess sat out
most of the period with three fouls.
"They came out ready to play," O'Neal said. "They outhustled
us to loose balls and rebounds and shot the ball better."
Game notes
The Lakers (32-19) and Toronto (2-1) are the lone teams
with winning records in Denver. ... L.A.'s John Celestand scored his first career points in the first quarter. ... Kobe Bryant is
expected to miss at least five more games because of a broken hand.
... Van Exel has scored 89 points in four games against the Lakers.
... Los Angeles shot 36 percent (8-for-22) from the foul line.
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ALSO SEE
NBA Scoreboard
LA Lakers Clubhouse
Denver Clubhouse
RECAPS
Washington 92
Toronto 81
Milwaukee 99
San Antonio 88
Sacramento 128
Houston 110
Denver 93
LA Lakers 82
Seattle 110
Vancouver 108
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