Nuggets push Lakers to limit

DENVER - Ty Lawson scored 32 points, fellow spark plug Corey Brewer added 18 and the Denver Nuggets forced a Game 7 in their first-round playoff series with a dominating 113-96 win over the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday.

The free-wheeling Nuggets are one win from running the lumbering Lakers right out of the playoffs. Game 7 of the Western Conference series is Saturday at Staples Center.

This will be the Nuggets' first all-or-nothing playoff game since losing to Utah in Game 7 of the 1994 conference semifinals.

Kobe Bryant followed his 43-point outburst in Game 5 with 31 points in 3½ quarters despite a sour stomach that prevented him from attending the Lakers' morning shootaround and forced him to take intravenous fluids all day. He took a seat for good with Los Angeles down 101-73 with 7:52 remaining.

The younger but deeper Nuggets have won three of four since losing the first two games in Los Angeles, and they did it by once again outrunning and outgunning their star-studded counterparts who prefer a half-court game and not the frenetic pace and pickup-game style employed by the Nuggets.

Lawson's 32 points were a career playoff high, besting his old mark of 27 set last year.

"This is the biggest game he's ever played in and Saturday will be even bigger," Nuggets coach George Karl said.

Andrew Bynum pulled down 16 rebounds but made only 4 of 11 shots for 11 points for the Lakers, and Pau Gasol shot 1-for-10 from the field, finishing with three points and three rebounds.

"Kobe being dehydrated and all that and sick as a dog, coming out and trying to will us to a win, it's disappointing to watch him give that type of effort ... and we don't get it from everybody," Lakers coach Mike Brown said. "Our second- and third-best players are Drew and Pau and the reality is both of those guys got to play better in order for us to win."

The Nuggets got another great game by rookie Kenneth Faried, who provided even more energy with 15 points and 11 rebounds. Danilo Gallinari and Andre Miller both scored 12 for Denver, which led 90-68 entering the fourth quarter.

Brewer iced this one by scoring 11 straight points for Denver to start the fourth quarter, an array of dunks and jumpers that gave the Nuggets their biggest lead at 101-73 and forced the Lakers to throw in the towel and try to rest Bryant, Bynum and Gasol for Game 7.

Bryant finished the first half with 19 points but he started out slowly and so did the Lakers, who fell behind 13-0 before Bryant scored more than 3½ minutes into the game.

While the Lakers missed their first six shots, the Nuggets quickly set the tone. Lawson made all four of his 3-pointers as the Nuggets raced to a 23-8 lead.

Lawson also scored 19 points in the first half, including half of the Nuggets' 30 first-quarter points. His basket at the halftime buzzer gave Denver a 54-45 lead after its 15-point cushion had been cut to four on Gasol's only basket, a hook shot that brought he Lakers within 47-43.

Bryant has a history of playing through pain in the playoffs and this season he toughed it out through several injuries, missing minimal time with a concussion, ankle and wrist ailments. Brown said he is "amazed at his mental and physical toughness."

Bryant was lumbering a bit on defense, though, where he got away with several grabs in the first half. In the opening minutes of the third quarter, however, he was whistled for a flagrant foul after smacking Faried in the head while trying to prevent a fast-break basket.

That was during Denver's 9-0 run to start the half, a spurt that quickly doubled its nine-point halftime lead and seemed to sap the Lakers' energy.