DENVER — Even short-handed, the Denver Nuggets finished their first back-to-back-to-back set of the lockout-compressed season on a high note.

Danilo Gallinari scored a season-high 21 points, including a pair of free throws in the final seconds, and the Nuggets beat the Milwaukee Bucks 91-86 on Monday night to go 2-1 over the last three nights.

“The Bucks having two days off and us playing three in a row, we knew they had a little bit of an advantage, and they like to run like us,” said Al Harrington, who had 17 points for the Nuggets. “But we always feel playing in Denver with the altitude, if we keep running in the fourth quarter we’ll be in a good position. At the end of the day they got tired.”

Ty Lawson chipped in with 16 points for the Nuggets, who were without Nene because of a bruised left heel. The Brazilian big man’s status is day-to-day.

Stephen Jackson had 17 points and Carlos Delfino added 14 for the Bucks, who were denied in a bid for a third consecutive win — which would have matched their best streak from last season.

The Bucks also were without Mike Dunleavy, who did not make the trip because of an undisclosed illness.

“When you play three games in three nights, the third one is very tough, especially when you play back-to-back (to start the set) with the Lakers,” Gallinari said.

Gallinari said when the going got tough, the Nuggets fed off the crowd.

“In the fourth quarter it’s very easy to find extra energy,” he said. “You have a tight game, you want to win, especially at home.”

Jackson said the Nuggets didn’t appear fazed by the string of games.

“They didn’t look like they had three games in three nights,” Jackson said. “That says a lot about how good of shape they’re in, and they didn’t have Nene, so you’ve got to credit them for that.”

Delfino’s 3-pointer gave the Bucks a 74-68 lead heading into the fourth quarter and Andrew Bogut’s 10-foot hook shot put Milwaukee in front 81-76 with 8:31 left to play.

Gallinari, who also had 10 rebounds, then got the Nuggets going. He drove in for a layup and tipped in a shot as part of a 10-0 run that Harrington finished with successive dunks as Denver went in front 86-81 with 4:01 remaining.

Jackson made a 20-foot jumper to pull Milwaukee to 87-86 with 1:55 remaining. Both sides missed jump shots before Lawson shook loose on a fast break and put in a layup with 10.9 seconds left for a three-point Nuggets’ lead.

Brandon Jennings, who had 12 points, missed a 3-point attempt from the top of the key with about 7 seconds to go. The rebound went to Gallinari, who was immediately fouled. He made both free throws with 5.3 seconds remaining to secure the win.

“We didn’t play very well. We kind of threw the ball all over the place,” said Bucks coach Scott Skiles. “We gave ourselves a chance but we missed layups and we missed open shots.”

Milwaukee took a 44-37 lead after a basket by Luc Mbah a Moute. Denver came back to score 11 of the next 15 points, including tip-in by Gallinari as time expired to even the score at 48-all at halftime.

Notable

The Bucks failed to score at least 50 points in the first half for the first time in four games this season. … The Nuggets second back-to-back-to-back set is in the first week of February. … Gallinari’s previous season high was 20 points, scored the night before in a win over the Los Angeles Lakers. … Jennings scored 20 or more points in each of his first three games before ending the streak with his 12-point outing against the Nuggets. … Denver has won eight of its last 10 meetings with the Bucks at the Pepsi Center.

Nuggets 91, Bucks 86

MILWAUKEE (86)

Jackson 7-18 2-2 17, Ilyasova 3-7 0-0 6, Bogut 5-12 2-4 12, Jennings 5-16 2-2 12, Delfino 5-11 1-3 14, Gooden 1-3 0-0 2, Leuer 4-5 0-0 8, Udrih 3-6 0-0 7, Livingston 1-4 0-0 2, Mbah a Moute 3-6 0-0 6, Sanders 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 37-88 7-11 86.

DENVER (91)

Gallinari 5-12 10-12 21, Koufos 3-4 2-2 8, Mozgov 2-9 0-0 4, Lawson 7-13 2-2 16, Afflalo 2-8 0-0 4, Andersen 0-3 0-2 0, Harrington 7-12 2-3 17, Miller 3-12 0-0 6, Fernandez 1-3 2-2 5, Brewer 3-7 3-4 10. Totals 33-83 21-27 91.

Milwaukee 30 18 26 12 — 86

Denver 24 24 20 23 — 91

3-Point Goals — Milwaukee 5-19 (Delfino 3-6, Udrih 1-2, Jackson 1-5, Ilyasova 0-2, Jennings 0-4), Denver 4-19 (Brewer 1-2, Fernandez 1-3, Harrington 1-5, Gallinari 1-5, Miller 0-1, Lawson 0-1, Afflalo 0-2). Fouled Out — None. Rebounds — Milwaukee 48 (Delfino 9), Denver 63 (Gallinari 10). Assists — Milwaukee 19 (Jackson, Bogut, Udrih 4), Denver 22 (Lawson 6). Total Fouls — Milwaukee 20, Denver 15. A — 14,142 (19,155).

Kobe Bryant reached another career milestone in a mostly forgettable performance by the Los Angeles Lakers star. Danilo Gallinari scored 20 points, Ty Lawson had 17 points and 10 assists and the Denver Nuggets beat the Lakers 99-90 on Sunday night. The Nuggets scored the final 11 points and avenged a three-point loss to the Lakers in Los Angeles less than 24 hours earlier. Bryant scored 16 points to become the sixth player in NBA history to score 28,000 career points. He is first among active players and is 584 points behind former teammate Shaquille O’Neal. Reaching the benchmark came on a night when Bryant was 6 of 28 from the field and 1 of 8 from 3-point range. “We were trying to be aggressive on him and trying to make him take some bad shots,” said Gallinari, who spent much of the game defending Bryant. “When you play defense against him he can make some tough shots. But we did a pretty good job.” Bryant came into Sunday needing just four points short of 28,000 but he didn’t get it until he hit a free throw with 10:43 left in the third quarter. He had a rough start to the night and it never got better. Bryant missed his first five shots and committed two offensive fouls before sitting in the final minute of the first quarter. He returned midway through the second, hit a 3-pointer but missed his next four. “We’ve got tough defenders,” Lawson said. “Kobe’s a great player, he probably had an off-night tonight, but, still, we played great defense.” “He looked tired. I’m glad we were putting pressure on him and making him take tough shots,” he said. After a seesaw battle for most of the final period, the Nuggets closed strong to win it. Gallinari had two fast-break layups to give Denver a two-point lead with 2:07 left. After Pau Gasol missed a short turnaround jumper, Lawson’s layup gave the Nuggets a 94-90 lead with 1:20 left. “It was big,” Lawson said. “Getting easy layups, making free throws and getting stops. We needed that, especially after the last game.” The Lakers could have used a strong night from Bryant to complement the play of the Lakers’ post players. Gasol had 20 points and 11 rebounds and Andrew Bynum had 18 points and 16 rebounds, but it wasn’t enough against Denver. “I think fatigue had a lot to do with this loss because we weren’t playing very smart,” Bynum said. Bryant missed a 3-pointer from the top of the circle near the end and Al Harrington hit a 12-foot jumper to make it 96-90 with 49 seconds left. The Lakers took a 90-88 lead on Bryant’s layup with 2:47 left and didn’t score again. “He’s got to continue to find his stroke,” Lakers coach Mike Brown said of Bryant. “I told the entire team that we shot too many jump shots. We’ve got to drive the ball or get the ball inside, one of the two. We didn’t do a good job with either today.” The Nuggets held a 26-5 edge in fast-break points. “I feel they have size at every position on the court and I feel we have speed at every position on the court,” Nuggets coach George Karl said. “The only way I know to incorporate it into a strategy is try to play fast and quick.” Trailing by 11 at halftime, the Lakers came out strong in the third quarter. Bynum scored seven points in the first four minutes, including a three-point play that tied it at 50. Denver didn’t hit its first field goal of the second half until Lawson’s drive gave the Nuggets the lead back with 7:03 left. Gallinari followed with Denver’s first 3-pointer of the game to make it 55-50. NOTES: Denver was 2 for 18 from 3-point range. … The Lakers have played six games in the first eight days of the season, including three in three nights to open the schedule. … Lawson has scored in double figures in four of Denver’s first five games. … Denver came into Sunday second in scoring in the NBA but 24th in 3-point shooting.

DENVER – Danilo Gallinari scored 20 points, Ty Lawson had 17 points and 10 assists and the Denver Nuggets beat the Lakers 99-90 on Sunday night.

Nene had 13 points for the Nuggets, who avenged a three-point loss to the Lakers at Staples Center less than 24 hours earlier.

Pau Gasol had 20 points and 11 rebounds and Andrew Bynum had 18 points and 16 rebounds for the Lakers. Kobe Bryant scored 16 points on 6-of-28 shooting.

After a seesaw battle for most of the final period, the Nuggets scored the final 11 points to pull out the win.

Gallinari scored two fast-break layups to give Denver a two-point lead with 2:07 left. After Gasol missed a short turnaround jumper, Lawson’s layup gave the Nuggets a 94-90 lead with 1:20 left.

Bryant missed a 3-pointer from the top of the circle and Harrington hit a 12-foot jumper to make it 96-90 with 49 seconds left.

The Lakers took a 90-88 lead on Bryant’s layup with 2:47 left and didn’t score again.

Trailing by 11 at halftime, the Lakers came out strong in the third quarter. Bynum scored seven points in the first four minutes, including a three-point play that tied it at 50-all.

Denver didn’t hit its first field goal of the second half until Lawson’s drive gave the Nuggets the lead back with 7:03 left. Gallinari followed with Denver’s first 3-pointer of the game to make it 55-50.

Denver’s lead grew to nine late in the third before the Lakers made another run to pull

to 72-71 heading into the fourth.

Bryant missed his first five shots and committed two offensive fouls before sitting in the final minute of the first quarter. He returned midway through the second, hit a 3-pointer but missed his next four.

The Lakers team didn’t fare any better. They missed their last 11 shots of the first half and were shooting just 32 percent at the break.

The Nuggets struggled from the field, too, missing all nine of their 3-point shots before the break, but they surged at the end of the second quarter. Leading 39-36, Al Harrington hit four free throws and had a nice interior pass to set up a dunk by Chris Andersen that helped Denver take a 47-36 lead at halftime.

Notes

Denver was 2 for 18 from 3-point range. … The Lakers have played six games in the first eight days of the season, including three in three nights to open the schedule. … Lawson has scored in double figures in four of Denver’s first five games. … Denver came into Sunday second in scoring in the NBA but 24th in 3-point shooting.

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

DENVER — Kobe Bryant reached another career milestone in a mostly forgettable performance by the Los Angeles Lakers star.

Danilo Gallinari scored 20 points, Ty Lawson had 17 points and 10 assists and the Denver Nuggets beat the Lakers 99-90 on Sunday night.

The Nuggets scored the final 11 points and avenged a three-point loss to the Lakers in Los Angeles less than 24 hours earlier.

Bryant scored 16 points to become the sixth player in NBA history to score 28,000 career points. He is first among active players and is 584 points behind former teammate Shaquille O’Neal.

Reaching the benchmark came on a night when Bryant was 6 of 28 from the field and 1 of 8 from three-point range.

“We were trying to be aggressive on him and trying to make him take some bad shots,” said Gallinari, who spent much of the game defending Bryant. “When you play defence against him he can make some tough shots. But we did a pretty good job.”

Bryant came into Sunday needing just four points short of 28,000 but he didn’t get it until he hit a free throw with 10:43 left in the third quarter.

He had a rough start to the night and it never got better. Bryant missed his first five shots and committed two offensive fouls before sitting in the final minute of the first quarter. He returned midway through the second, hit a three-pointer but missed his next four.

“We’ve got tough defenders,” Lawson said. “Kobe’s a great player, he probably had an off-night tonight, but, still, we played great defence.”

“He looked tired. I’m glad we were putting pressure on him and making him take tough shots,” he said.

After a seesaw battle for most of the final period, the Nuggets closed strong to win it.

Gallinari had two fast-break layups to give Denver a two-point lead with 2:07 left. After Pau Gasol missed a short turnaround jumper, Lawson’s layup gave the Nuggets a 94-90 lead with 1:20 left.

“It was big,” Lawson said. “Getting easy layups, making free throws and getting stops. We needed that, especially after the last game.”

The Lakers could have used a strong night from Bryant to complement the play of the Lakers’ post players. Gasol had 20 points and 11 rebounds and Andrew Bynum had 18 points and 16 rebounds, but it wasn’t enough against Denver.

“I think fatigue had a lot to do with this loss because we weren’t playing very smart,” Bynum said.

Bryant missed a three-pointer from the top of the circle near the end and Al Harrington hit a 12-foot jumper to make it 96-90 with 49 seconds left.

The Lakers took a 90-88 lead on Bryant’s layup with 2:47 left and didn’t score again.

“He’s got to continue to find his stroke,” Lakers coach Mike Brown said of Bryant. “I told the entire team that we shot too many jump shots. We’ve got to drive the ball or get the ball inside, one of the two. We didn’t do a good job with either today.”

The Nuggets held a 26-5 edge in fast-break points.

“I feel they have size at every position on the court and I feel we have speed at every position on the court,” Nuggets coach George Karl said. “The only way I know to incorporate it into a strategy is try to play fast and quick.”

Trailing by 11 at halftime, the Lakers came out strong in the third quarter. Bynum scored seven points in the first four minutes, including a three-point play that tied it at 50.

Denver didn’t hit its first field goal of the second half until Lawson’s drive gave the Nuggets the lead back with 7:03 left. Gallinari followed with Denver’s first three-pointer of the game to make it 55-50.

NOTES: Denver was 2 for 18 from three-point range. … The Lakers have played six games in the first eight days of the season, including three in three nights to open the schedule. … Lawson has scored in double figures in four of Denver’s first five games. … Denver came into Sunday second in scoring in the NBA but 24th in three-point shooting.

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

DENVER — Kobe Bryant reached another career milestone in a mostly forgettable performance by the Los Angeles Lakers star.

Danilo Gallinari scored 20 points, Ty Lawson had 17 points and 10 assists and the Denver Nuggets beat the Lakers 99-90 on Sunday night.

The Nuggets scored the final 11 points and avenged a three-point loss to the Lakers in Los Angeles less than 24 hours earlier.

Bryant scored 16 points to become the sixth player in NBA history to score 28,000 career points. He is first among active players and is 584 points behind former teammate Shaquille O’Neal.

Reaching the benchmark came on a night when Bryant was 6 of 28 from the field and 1 of 8 from three-point range.

“We were trying to be aggressive on him and trying to make him take some bad shots,” said Gallinari, who spent much of the game defending Bryant. “When you play defence against him he can make some tough shots. But we did a pretty good job.”

Bryant came into Sunday needing just four points short of 28,000 but he didn’t get it until he hit a free throw with 10:43 left in the third quarter.

He had a rough start to the night and it never got better. Bryant missed his first five shots and committed two offensive fouls before sitting in the final minute of the first quarter. He returned midway through the second, hit a three-pointer but missed his next four.

“We’ve got tough defenders,” Lawson said. “Kobe’s a great player, he probably had an off-night tonight, but, still, we played great defence.”

“He looked tired. I’m glad we were putting pressure on him and making him take tough shots,” he said.

After a seesaw battle for most of the final period, the Nuggets closed strong to win it.

Gallinari had two fast-break layups to give Denver a two-point lead with 2:07 left. After Pau Gasol missed a short turnaround jumper, Lawson’s layup gave the Nuggets a 94-90 lead with 1:20 left.

“It was big,” Lawson said. “Getting easy layups, making free throws and getting stops. We needed that, especially after the last game.”

The Lakers could have used a strong night from Bryant to complement the play of the Lakers’ post players. Gasol had 20 points and 11 rebounds and Andrew Bynum had 18 points and 16 rebounds, but it wasn’t enough against Denver.

“I think fatigue had a lot to do with this loss because we weren’t playing very smart,” Bynum said.

Bryant missed a three-pointer from the top of the circle near the end and Al Harrington hit a 12-foot jumper to make it 96-90 with 49 seconds left.

The Lakers took a 90-88 lead on Bryant’s layup with 2:47 left and didn’t score again.

“He’s got to continue to find his stroke,” Lakers coach Mike Brown said of Bryant. “I told the entire team that we shot too many jump shots. We’ve got to drive the ball or get the ball inside, one of the two. We didn’t do a good job with either today.”

The Nuggets held a 26-5 edge in fast-break points.

“I feel they have size at every position on the court and I feel we have speed at every position on the court,” Nuggets coach George Karl said. “The only way I know to incorporate it into a strategy is try to play fast and quick.”

Trailing by 11 at halftime, the Lakers came out strong in the third quarter. Bynum scored seven points in the first four minutes, including a three-point play that tied it at 50.

Denver didn’t hit its first field goal of the second half until Lawson’s drive gave the Nuggets the lead back with 7:03 left. Gallinari followed with Denver’s first three-pointer of the game to make it 55-50.

NOTES: Denver was 2 for 18 from three-point range. … The Lakers have played six games in the first eight days of the season, including three in three nights to open the schedule. … Lawson has scored in double figures in four of Denver’s first five games. … Denver came into Sunday second in scoring in the NBA but 24th in three-point shooting.