Lakers Use a Late 19-3 Run to Win

Magic Johnson scored five of his 19 points during a 19-3 fourth-quarter run that lifted the Lakers to a 116-109 victory over the Denver Nuggets Sunday.

It was the sixth straight victory for the Lakers, who now have a four-game lead over Detroit in the race for the best record in the NBA and a homecourt advantage in the playoffs.

The Lakers trailed, 94-87, before the decisive run, which ended with the Lakers ahead, 106-97, after a tip-in by A.C. Green with 3:42 left.

Denver pulled within six on a three-point play by Fat Lever, who led Denver with 31 points and 11 rebounds, but the Nuggets didn’t threaten the rest of the game.

James Worthy led the Lakers with 28 points and Green had 26 and 18 rebounds. Michael Adams scored 22 for the Nuggets.

The Lakers built theur winning margin by making 29 of 33 free throws. Denver made 16 of 19 free-throw attempts.

Denver led for most of the first period before the Lakers went up 26-25 on a follow shot by Green with 1:47 remaining. But Walter Davis and Lever hit consecutive baskets to give Denver a 29-26 lead at the end of the quarter.

A revised ruling before the start of the second half by referee Hue Hollins took a point away from Johnson and the Lakers, which made their halftime lead, 60-56.

Hollins said a technical foul erroneously was called on Denver’s Joe Barry Carroll when it should have been a personal foul. Hollins instructed the scoring crew to remove the point from the Lakers’ total before the start of the second half.

The Lakers controlled most of the third period, leading 75-63 with 6:22 remaining. It was still 81-72 with 3:53 to play in the third before Denver went on an 18-4 run to lead 90-85 going into the fourth quarter.