Lakers hit 17 3-pointers, run past Nuggets

NBA: Antawn Jamison scored 33 points while leading an outstanding game by the Lakers’ reserves, and Dwight Howard had 28 points and 20 rebounds and hit Los Angeles’ 17th 3-pointer in the final seconds of a 122-103 victory over the Denver Nuggets on Friday night.

Jodie Meeks scored 21 points on seven 3-pointers for the Lakers, who improved to 3-3 under Mike D’Antoni while playing splendidly at the furious tempo favored by their new coach.

The Lakers tied the club record for 3-pointers in a regulation game, getting five from Jamison in the first 30-point game by a Lakers reserve since 1998.

• Also in the NBA: Kevin Durant scored 25 points, Russell Westbrook added 23 points, 13 rebounds, eight assists and seven steals in Oklahoma City’s 106-94 win over visiting Utah. … Alonzo Gee scored on a putback with less than 1 second remaining, and the Cleveland Cavaliers snapped a four-game losing streak, defeating the Hawks 113-111 in Atlanta. Jeremy Pargo led Cleveland with 22 points. … Jeff Green scored 19 points, Jason Terry added 17 and the Celtics cruised past Portland 96-78 in Boston. … Evan Turner scored 25 points, Jason Richardson hit four 3-pointers down the stretch and the Philadelphia 76ers picked up their third consecutive victory, 104-98 at Charlotte. Jrue Holliday added 13 points and a career-high 15 assists for Philadelphia.

• T-Wolves’ Rubio OK’d to practice: Ricky Rubio says his left knee feels great and he can’t wait to get back on the practice court with his Minnesota Timberwolves teammates for the first time this season after nearly nine months on the sideline.

Rubio met with reporters on Friday after being cleared by doctors to begin full-contact practices on his surgically repaired knee. He’s been out since tearing the ACL and LCL on March 9.

Hoyas, Vols can’t sink anything

Men’s basketball: Georgetown and Tennessee held each other scoreless over the final 4 minutes, and the No. 20 Hoyas beat the Volunteers 37-36 in a display of abysmal shooting in the SEC/Big East Challenge at Washington.

The teams combined to make just 7 of 20 shots – from the free-throw line. The field-goal shooting was just as horrid, with the Vols hitting 33 percent and the Hoyas 36 percent.

Jayhawks prevail: Ben McLemore scored 21 points, Travis Releford added 20 and No. 10 Kansas held off repeated Oregon State rallies to defeat the Beavers 84-78 at Kansas City, Mo.

Lindsey Vonn wins again at Lake Louise

SKIING: Lindsey Vonn won the season-opening downhill at Lake Louise, Alberta, for her 12th career World Cup victory at the Canadian resort.

Vonn finished in 1 minute, 52.61 seconds to beat American teammate Stacey Cook by 1.73 seconds.

McDowell in lead at World Challenge

Golf: Graeme McDowell opened with three straight birdies and finished strong for a 6-under 66 to take a three-shot lead in the World Challenge at Thousand Oaks, Calif.

Bo Van Pelt had to save bogey on the last hole for a 68, leaving him tied for second with Keegan Bradley and Jim Furyk, who each had a 69. • Nedbank Golf Challenge: Scotland’s Paul Lawrie shot a 3-under 69 to take a one-stroke lead over Germany’s Martin Kaymer in the 12-man event in Sun City, South Africa.

Lawrie had a 4-under 140 total at Gary Player Country Club. Kaymer, Lawrie’s Ryder Cup teammate, shot 69.

• PGA Tour qualifying: South Korea’s Meen Whee Kim shot a 5-under 67 on PGA West’s Jack Nicklaus Tournament Course to maintain a one-stroke lead after the third round of the PGA Tour qualifying tournament in La Quinta, Calif.

• LPGA Tour qualifying: Thailand’s Moriya Jutanugarn shot a 3-under 69 to open a six-stroke lead after the third round of the LPGA Tour qualifying tournament in Daytona Beach, Fla.

Former Washington State standout Kim Welch shot a 72 and is tied for ninth place. The top 20 earn full tour status.

Vettel champ after Ferrari drops appeal

Auto racing: Ferrari has dropped plans to appeal F1 champion Sebastian Vettel’s passing maneuver at the Brazilian Grand Prix after receiving clarification from Formula One’s governing body.

Ferrari says it “duly takes note of the reply sent by the FIA this morning and therefore considers the matter now closed.”

Ferrari was considering an appeal after video from Sunday’s Brazilian GP appeared to show that Vettel passed Jean-Eric Vergne while a yellow caution light was on.

Ferrari says it felt “the need to shed light on the circumstances of the move” and that “the letter to the FIA was in no way intended to undermine the legality of the race result.”