NBA: Denver 102, Los Angeles Lakers 99

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LOS ANGELES, May 9 (UPI) -- Andre Miller scored 24 points Tuesday to lead Denver to a 102-99 win over the Los Angeles Lakers and keep the Nuggets alive in the Western Conference playoffs.

Game 6 of the best-of-seven series will be played Thursday in Denver with the Lakers leading 3-2.

Miller scored 17 of his points in the second half to help the Nuggets hold off a furious Los Angeles rally, led by Kobe Bryant, who scored 14 of his 43 points in the fourth quarter and helped erase a 15-point deficit midway through the final period.

Bryant spent 43 minutes on the court and was 14-of-32 from the field and 10-of-11 from the free throw line.

Andrew Bynum scored 16 points and grabbed six rebounds. Matt Barnes added 11 points off the bench for the Lakers, who were 35-for-90 (38,9 percent) from the field.

JaVale McGee, who, like Miller, came in off the bench, scored 21 for Denver. Aaron Afflalo started and tallied 19.