Pau Gasol set NBA playoff highs with 36 points and eight assists and added 16 rebounds as the Los Angeles Lakers took command early in the third quarter and beat the Denver Nuggets 128-114 on Sunday.
Gasol, the Spaniard acquired from Memphis on Feb. 1 after spending 6 seasons with the Grizzlies, was winless in three previous postseason appearances.
Kobe Bryant scored 18 of his 32 points in the final 8 minutes to keep Los Angeles safely ahead. Lamar Odom had 17 points, 14 rebounds and six assists for the Lakers, the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference.
Carmelo Anthony had 30 points and 12 rebounds for the eighth-seeded Nuggets. Allen Iverson also had 30 points before picking up two technical fouls with 2:10 remaining, calling for immediate ejection. Linas Kleiza scored a career playoff high 23.
The Nuggets should have it known wasn't going to be their day when several players were stranded on the Santa Monica Freeway for about a half-hour when the team bus broke down on the way to the game.
Game 2 will be on Wednesday.
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