[Bette]

The Denver Nuggets evened the Western Conference finals Monday night, beating the Los Angeles Lakers 120-101 in Game 4 despite a hobbled Carmelo Anthony.
Chauncey Billups and J.R. Smith scored 24 points and Kenyon Martin posted a double-double as the Nuggets posted their eighth blowout of the postseason but first against Los Angeles following three games that came down to the final seconds.
The Nuggets didn't need to worry about a botched inbounds pass in the closing seconds like the ones that cost them wins in Games 1 and 3, although Kobe Bryant had another monster fourth quarter in a furious attempt to put a stranglehold on the series that shifts to Los Angeles for Game 5 Wednesday night.
Bryant, who is averaging 37 points in the series, scored 34, including 14 in the fourth quarter.

LAKERS: Lakers Gameday | 05/25/09 | Nuggets 120, Lakers 101