Former Gamecock PJ Dozier posts career night in thriller against LA Lakers
PJ Dozier got the Denver Nuggets the tie, but not the lead. And in the end, it wouldn’t have mattered Monday night against the LA Lakers in the NBA bubble.
But it didn’t fully overshadow a career night for the former South Carolina Gamecocks star.
Kyle Kuzma ultimately won the 124-121 game with a 3 in the final seconds moments after Dozier split a pair of free throws. That brought him to 18 points for the night, topping his previous career high of 15.
Overall, Dozier went 5 for 7 shooting with four rebounds four assists and a block. He played 27 minutes, also a career high, as the Nuggets went with a bench-heavy lineup down the stretch.
Dozier had the ball in his hands for a few late plays, getting blocked by Anthony Davis on a fadeaway jumper and turning it over. But he also drew the foul to get free throws down one and found an open Bol Bol on the final play (Bol didn’t get the shot off).
Dozier has played at leas 16 minutes in every game since the NBA restarted play. The Nuggets are currently the No. 3 seed.
He was a McDonald’s All-American for Spring Valley High School in Columbia before joining the Gamecocks. After an inconsistent first season, the 6-foot-6 point guard grew into a key piece of South Carolina’s first Final Four team, providing versatility and play-making.
He went undrafted in 2017, and played in only eight games for two different teams in his first two seasons. He’s played in 27 thus far this year, five since play resumed in Orlando. Denver next faces the LA Clippers on Wednesday.
This story was originally published August 11, 2020 at 5:00 AM.
