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.

Chris Andersen arrived on the scene during the Nuggets’ exhibition opener Tuesday night, scoring nine points and, perhaps more impactful, blocking three shots.

He did so playing only 16 minutes against the Suns.

With a bevy of bigs on the Denver roster, the 6-foot-10 Andersen knows the playing time he gets is precious.

“But I have to be a very smart player as far as when do I jump at shots and when do I block shots,” he said. “Because knowing me, I love to go out and block everything. But I really can’t block everything, so I have to be smart.”

Andersen is competing for playing time with reserves Kosta Koufos and Al Harrington and rookie Kenneth Faried, a first-round draft pick.

The Nuggets and Suns play their rematch tonight in Phoenix before starting the season.

Andersen knows his role on defense can be as valuable as it is on offense.

“Defense, I think that’s our main point (in training camp),” Andersen said. “(Coach) George Karl loves defense. Defense is going to be the key, especially if we want to run. If we can get 30 layups or more, I see us having a high-scoring game and being a big problem for other teams.”

Injury report. Nuggets guard Ty Lawson has a sprained left ankle and is listed as day to day. Nene has a sore right hamstring and also is day to day. Karl said Harrington and newcomer Rudy Fernandez might rest tonight in Phoenix.

Afflalo on the court. Newly signed guard Arron Afflalo participated in his first practice of the season Wednesday.

Karl said Afflalo “looked good defensively and a little rusty offensively.”

Karl said Afflalo’s playing time tonight against the Suns likely will be limited.

But Afflalo is “ready to go,” the coach said. Afflalo didn’t play Tuesday against the Suns in Denver because it was the same day he signed his five-year contract that could be worth $43 million.

Rookie on the rise. Undrafted rookie Julyan Stone has impressed the Denver coaches. Tuesday against the Suns, the 6-7 point guard from Texas-El Paso contributed five points and four assists to the Nuggets’ 127-110 victory. He played 12 minutes.

“I think he has a good chance of making our roster, at least for a period of time,” Karl said of Stone. “For years in this league, everyone wanted and searched for a big point guard. But now with the rule changes (in regard to hand contact), the little quick guard is the ‘in thing.’ But I like him because of his size and his defense.”

Benjamin Hochman, The Denver Post