Los Angeles - The Los Angeles Lakers welcomed back Andrew Bynum, and sent the Denver Nuggets packing with another loss at Staples Centre. Kobe Bryant scored 33 points, Spain's Pau Gasol had 27 with a career-high 19 rebounds and the Lakers snapped the Nuggets' eight-game winning streak, 116-102 on Thursday night.
Though the Lakers one-two punch knocked out the Nuggets at Staples Centre for the 22nd time in the last 24 meetings, and moved one-half game behind the Cleveland Cavaliers for the best record in the NBA, the night belonged to Bynum.