Lawson scores 20 to lead Nuggets over Bobcats 113-99
CHARLOTTE, N.C. - George Karl was hoping that his Denver Nuggets would win at least seven games in the month of February.
After a workmanlike 113-99 victory over the Charlotte Bobcats on Saturday night, the Nuggets have a chance to exceed that total, with six victories already and two games remaining in the month.
"Now if we can get both of these games, February is going to be a very good month for us," Karl said after the Nuggets pulled away in the second half and led by as many as 20 points. "We've got six wins now and if we could get eight wins, that is probably one more than I thought we should have."
The Nuggets will return home to play the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday, then close out the month at Portland on Thursday.
Ty Lawson led a balanced attack with 20 points, five rebounds and five assists on a night that Karl felt his point guard was getting fouled continually and couldn't get a call.
The Nuggets (35-22) also got 17 points from JaVale McGee, 15 from Kenneth Faried, 14 from Corey Brewer, 13 points and five rebounds and 10 assists from Andre Iguodala, and 11 points from Wilson Chandler.
For Lawson, it marked the 13th time in the last 18 games that he has scored 20 or more points. He had 27 in a 119-113 loss at Washington on Friday night that made this game all the more important.
"I'm just being more aggressive," Lawson said. "I figure when I'm aggressive and get into the lane, things happen for me, from scoring to getting assists, and it makes our team go. So that's what I'm going to try to do for the rest of the year."
Karl was certainly pleased with what he saw from Lawson.
"I think he's understanding the rhythm and is more comfortable with his game and is becoming more assertive in the plays," Karl said. "More plays, more responsibility and more assertiveness. He's got a confidence with his jumper that he didn't have earlier in the season. And if he would ever get a fair whistle he would probably score a lot more points."
Karl went so far as to say that the 5-11 Lawson got "beat up" by Bobcats point guard Kemba Walker and others. Karl got a technical foul for complaining to the officials, and was still lobbying for his point guard after the game.
"I just think Ty sometimes is so strong and so quick, he gets hit but he doesn't get knocked off balance," Karl said. "But hey, a foul's a foul. I've always felt that skinny guys get more calls than strong fullback type guys. Ty is as fast as anyone in the game, but he doesn't get knocked off balance. And because of that, he doesn't get as many calls as he deserves."
The Bobcats, who fell to a league-worst 13-43, lost for the 19th time in their last 21 games at Time Warner Cable Arena. They have lost three straight and 11 of their last 13.
Walker led the way with 24 points, his fourth straight game of 20 points or more. Gerald Henderson scored 19, Jeffery Taylor scored a career-high 18 and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist scored 12.
Coach Mike Dunlap said he was pleased with the effort, unlike the Bobcats' 115-85 loss to Chicago on Friday night.
"It was a good physical effort, much better than the night before," Dunlap said. "So that box got checked off. We were down six at the half, playing good basketball, visually appealing as far as sharing the ball. We played good on the boards, which is hard to do against them. They have some talent there. But basically our turnovers led to easy baskets in the second half. When you are trying to make your way back, you have to take care of the ball, so that's what stood out to me."
NOTES: Denver's Danilo Gallinari tried to play despite a thigh bruise, but was hobbling and wound up playing only 15 minutes, finishing with six points. ... The win gave the Nuggets a season's sweep over the Bobcats, combined with their 110-88 win in Denver on Dec. 22. ... The Nuggets were finishing up their second Eastern trip in the past two weeks. They had a four-game trip with games at Cleveland, Boston, Toronto and Brooklyn, returned home for one game to beat Boston, then had Washington and Bobcats on the road again this weekend. ... Dunlap was a Nuggets assistant under Karl from 2006-08. ... The Bobcats were playing their fourth game in five nights and were finishing up a three-game homestand. They'll hit the road next for a four-game Western trip, starting Tuesday against the Clippers in Los Angeles. They'll also play Utah, Sacramento and Portland on the trip.
