Jamal Murray scored a spectacular basket on the buzzer this Monday which culminated a twenty-point comeback by the Denver Nuggets contra Los Angeles Lakers (101-99) and he gave 2-0 lead to the current NBA champions in the first round of the playoffs against the Angelenos.
There is no end to the Lakers’ nightmare against the Nuggets. This Monday was the tenth consecutive loss for those in purple and gold against Denvera rival that overwhelmed them last year in the Western Conference finals and will now travel to Los Angeles for the third and fourth games with high morale after a heart-stopping comeback.
Murray went from a lackluster night, with 6 points scored in three quarters (3 of 16 on field goals), to being the hero with a jump shot, with a step back before the marking of Antony Davis, which unleashed absolute euphoria in Denver.
Jokic, monumental
The Canadian finished his game with 20 points in another amazing night from the Serbian Nikola Jokicthe favorite to win his third MVP, who contributed a triple double of 27 points, 20 rebounds and 10 assists. Dominant in the paint, protagonist with two triples, perfect from the free line, capable of making quarterback passes from his half of the court, Jokic led his Nuggets by the hand supported by 22 points from Michael Porter Jr and by a excellent lead performance from Kentavious Caldwell Pope. His six points and three assists do not reflect the weight that the former Lakers player had in the champions’ reaction.
For the Lakers it was a very hard psychological blow after a game in which they had a 20-point lead in the third period. The 32 points and 11 rebounds of a great Anthony Davis were not enough for them nor the 26 points, 8 rebounds and 12 assists of a LeBron who was the last to give up. D’Angelo Russel contributed 23 points and 7 triples.
The Angelenos gave everything and put the Nuggets against the wall.
Davis excites the Lakers
Because the Lakers, touched with pride after nine straight losses against Denver, came out to bite at the Ball Arena. They did it at the pace of a forceful Davis with already 24 points in the first half and with D’Angelo Russell creating constant dangers from the arc with a magnificent success of 6 of 7 in triples in the first two quarters. A triple by Austin Reaves culminated the Angelenos’ push with the triple of the maximum advantage at 68-48 with exactly ten minutes left in the third period. A blow to the table that could have left the Nuggets affected but did not do so due to the tremendous reaction of the champions.
Kentavious Caldwell Pope led the Nuggets with a notable defensive commitment, even containing LeBron one-on-one, and causing Davis’ fourth foul, which left the Lakers without their center for several minutes.
The Nuggets impose their law
On the other side of the court, Caldwell Pope put the exclamation point with a powerful dunk on a 13-0 run that reduced the deficit to nine points in the 65-74.
Another 10-1 by the Nuggets at the opening of the fourth quarter raised the 81-83 to the light and, despite two consecutive triples from LeBron, the locals once again put the clash on balance with a triple from Porter Jr for the tie at 95 with just over a minute to play. An exchange of blows then began, like in a boxing duel, between Murray and LeBron. The Canadian won it, who after a mistake by James, took responsibility for the last shot. He connected it from mid-range, a few steps from his bench, to trigger the euphoria of the Nuggets who are advancing steadily towards the second round of the playoffs.
2024-04-23 05:29:22
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