Lakers hold off Nuggets, clinch playoff berth

FridayIndiana 102-83 Cleveland Toronto 84-79 Boston Orlando 81-109 Atlanta Philadelphia 89-95 New Jersey Miami 105-82 Charlotte New York 103-65 Washington Houston 105-112 Phoenix Oklahoma City 115-89 Sacramento Detroit 97-113 Milwaukee New Orleans 96-85 Utah Portland 94-97 Dallas LOS ANGELES - Coach Mike Brown wasn’t on the Los Angeles Lakers’ bench in a suit and tie. Kobe Bryant was.Although that’s an unlikely scenario for success, the Lakers still took an enormous step toward the postseason thanks to Matt Barnes’ outside shooting and Andrew Bynum’s inside persistence.Bynum had 30 points and eight rebounds, Barnes added a season-high 24 points and 10 rebounds, and the Lakers clinched a playoff berth with a 103-97 victory over the Denver Nuggets on Friday night.Pau Gasol had 14 points and 10 rebounds for the Pacific Division-leading Lakers (38-22), who have won three of four without Bryant while the NBA scoring leader rests his bruised shin. Los Angeles also played without Brown, who left Staples Center shortly before tipoff for undisclosed personal reasons.‘’You can tell that these guys went out tonight and wanted to represent Mike Brown as best they could, and that’s what they did,’’ said assistant coach John Kuester, who didn’t give any additional information about Brown’s issues after running the team. With Bryant shouting instructions and counsel as a virtual assistant coach on the bench, the Lakers gave away another early lead and committed 23 turnovers, yet still took three of four from Denver to win the clubs’ season series for the first time in three years. With six games left, Los Angeles is 1 1/2 games ahead of the Clippers for the division lead and the No. 3 playoff seed.