Denver Nuggets’ Bruce Brown was heard delivering an expletive-laden message to the Los Angeles Lakers’ Deandre Ayton on Saturday. Players from both teams intervened in the brief altercation, with the referee urging them to resume the game.
The Lakers handed the Nuggets a 127-125 loss in overtime, thanks to the difference maker, Luka Dončić.
Bruce Brown Hurls Expletive at Deandre Ayton During Lakers-Nuggets Clash
The Denver Nuggets entered the Crypto.com Arena with a 41-26 record to take on Los Angeles on Saturday. With playoff positioning aspirations, the Lakers started strong, racking up 34 points in the first quarter and building a 61-50 lead by halftime, anchored by Dončić and Austin Reaves’ dominant offense.
The game was progressing in the Lakers’ favor when the Nuggets bounced back in the third quarter, orchestrated by Nikola Jokić and aided by Aaron Gordon and Tim Hardaway Jr.
With minutes left in overtime, Ayton’s floater gave the Lakers a slim 122-120 lead. During the thrilling contest, Brown’s message to the Lakers Center was caught on camera.
“You’re f****ng terrible,” Brown said.
Moments like these are not uncommon in the NBA, as in December last year, Brown was involved in a heated exchange with Kevin Durant.
READ MORE: NBA World Reacts to Wild OT Finish to Nuggets-Lakers Game: ‘Luka (Dončić) That Step-Back Was FILTHY’
Meanwhile, besides Jokić’s triple-double (24 points, 16 rebounds, and 14 assists), Gordon and Hardaway Jr. pitched in with 27 and 20 points for the Nuggets, respectively. Brown and Christian Braun recorded 12 points each.
Lakers’ Marcus Smart, who added 21 points, aced a 3-pointer to give his team a lead with just 30 seconds left in overtime. This was followed by Jokić’s effort for the Nuggets, tying the game with a little over 15 seconds left.
Just then, the star of the night, Dončić, emerged with a 17-foot fadeaway jumper, sealing a thriller for the hosts. “Went to my left hand, to my left step-back. I did that a couple times throughout my career, so I just trust the shot,” he said after the game.
LeBron James added 17 points, 6 rebounds, and 5 assists against Denver, and also heaped praise on Doncic for his performance, stating, “He’s [Dončić] just a big-time player, man… It’s going to be just the first of many game winners like that for him in a Lakers uniform.”
Austin Reaves scored 32 points, 7 rebounds, and 6 assists, and his bucket in the final seconds of the fourth quarter pushed the game to overtime.
Los Angeles will now look to their six-game road trip, starting with the Houston Rockets on Monday.
