LOS ANGELES (AP) Pau Gasol ended up being consumed by determination, keeping down Kenneth Faried with one arm along with relentlessly tipping the actual ball for the hoop when using the different inside the fourth fraction regarding Game 7. One, two, three, several - five! - questionable rebounds later, the particular shot as a final point surrendered and also fallen through the hoop.
A couple of minutes later, the truth was when undeniable when that 7-foot Spaniard. Although the Nuggets drove these people to the brink involving playoff collapse, the Los Angeles Lakers still contain the tenacity to succeed to the greatest evenings from the postseason.
Even when Kobe Bryant does not steer them.
Gasol had 23 points, 17 rebounds, six aids as well as some blocked shots, Metta World Peace obtained fifteen items in his gain originating from a seven-game suspension, and also the Lakers outlasted Denver to get a thrilling 96-87 victory Saturday night to earn their own first-round series.
Steve Blake obtained a playoff career-high 19 points plus Bryant possessed some sort of silent 17 items and nine helps towards frequent double-teams for any Lakers, who seem to blew a 16-point direct inside second half in advance of making it through a finale using wild impetus swings plus furious real play.
With Gasol leading the Lakers' psychological effort - exemplified through individuals five questionable rebounds on the single, amazing suggestion enjoy by using 7:10 eventually left - that Lakers narrowly definitely avoided turning out to be the actual ninth team around NBA background to help blow some sort of 3-1 series lead.
''We had been aggressive,'' Gasol said. ''We mauled this color better. We pounded this planks since tough since all of us could, each time. . Our backs resistant to the wall membrane furthermore possessed some thing to undertake having it.''
Andrew Bynum experienced 16 points, a new occupation playoff-high 18 rebounds and six clogged pictures to get Los Angeles, which must wide open the 2nd round Monday night with Oklahoma City alongside the particular second-seeded Thunder.
Ty Lawson as well as Al Harrington have scored twenty-four tips apiece to the sixth-seeded Nuggets, who seem to committed 19 turnovers as well as managed simply just 7-of-27 snapping shots within the particular fourth quarter . Arron Afflalo obtained 15 points in a mere thirdly Game 7 within franchise track record for the Nuggets, who've lost inside initial round within eight in the last eleven postseasons - nonetheless for no reason keeping this much excitement.
''Tomorrow or another day, once the funk makes from the body, you're visiting often be proud of them,'' Denver coach George Karl said. ''I've for no reason also been in a locker living room along at the stop of the period when every chap in front of me, I'm pleased with in addition to I'm content with. . The activity was so physical. I assume his or her width won about some of our speed. We gave some sort of great effort. We made them forget enough pictures to help win, nonetheless most of us simply did not rebound the ball.''
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