National Basketball Association

Nuggets end nine-game skid vs. Lakers

Published Feb. 28, 2009 6:26 a.m. ET

foxsports

For all the pundits who figure the Lakers and Spurs are the only teams to worry about in the West, the Denver Nuggets served notice Friday night that they deserve to be talked about, too.

J.R. Smith scored 22 points and hounded Kobe Bryant all night and the Nuggets beat cold-shooting Los Angeles 90-79 to end to end a nine-game losing streak against the Lakers.