Lakers fail again in NBA playoffs against Nuggets
The Los Angeles Lakers failed again in the NBA playoffs against the Denver Nuggets and once again gave up a lead. The NBA record champions lost to the defending champions on Monday evening (local time) in Denver 106:108 and suffered the decisive fourth defeat in the fifth game of the playoff series. Last year, both teams faced each other in the Western Conference finals, the Nuggets won this series 4-0 and then won the title in the final against the Miami Heat.
This year, the Lakers had given up a lead of 20 points once and twelve points twice in their defeats. In Game Five, the Lakers were up nine points midway through the third quarter and then lost control. Nuggets professional Jamal Murray completed the victory with the last goal and scored a total of 32 points. “I don’t know what to say. I’m just happy for us,” Murray said. Nikola Jokic scored 25 points. For the Lakers, LeBron James had a night with 30 points, 11 assists and 9 rebounds. He couldn’t prevent the end of his 21st season in the NBA.
It remains to be seen what will happen to James, now 39 years old, in the future. The NBA’s record scorer could get out of his contract in the summer and possibly fulfill a big dream: playing on a team with his eldest son Bronny. The 19-year-old plays college basketball and has already registered for the upcoming NBA Draft.
The Oklahoma City Thunder had previously gotten their fourth win in the fourth game against the New Orleans Pelicans and secured their place in the next round. At 97:89, the guests were still five points behind in the final quarter, but then took control and prevailed. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams each recorded 24 points. For the Pelicans, who had to do without their injured star Zion Williamson for the entire series, CJ McCollum had the best result with 20 points.
In the series between the Miami Heat and the Boston Celtics, the favored Celtics got their third win and can make the second round clear with another win after 102:88.
Panthers knock Lightning out of NHL playoffs
The Florida Panthers are in the second round of the NHL playoffs. In the fifth game of the series against the Tampa Bay Lightning, the Panthers got the fourth win they needed on Monday evening (local time). Alexander Barkov and Carter Verhaeghe each scored twice to make it 6-1, and Evan Rodrigues scored the other goal. Only Victor Hedman was successful for the guests, but his goal to make it 1-2 was not enough. Tampa Bay has now been eliminated in the first round of the NHL playoffs for the second time in a row after the team won the title three years in a row. Tampa had won all of the previous three playoff series against the Panthers.
Draisaitl assist: Oilers just one win short of NHL playoffs
Assist provider Leon Draisaitl and the Edmonton Oilers are only missing one more win in the NHL playoffs on the way to the Stanley Cup to reach the second round. The ice hockey team from Canada defeated the Los Angeles Kings 1-0 on Sunday evening (local time) and now leads the best-of-seven series with 3-1 wins. The decision can be made as early as Thursday night at the next game in Edmonton.
After 27 goals in the first three games, both teams’ defenses hardly allowed anything in game four. Edmonton’s lead came from the first majority phase of the game. The puck came to Evan Bouchard via stars Connor McDavid and Draisaitl, who shot it into the net from a distance.
The New York Rangers had previously won the fourth duel with the Washington Capitals and became the first NHL team to reach the second round of the playoffs. The Rangers won 4-2 in Washington. The Vancouver Canucks won 4-3 after overtime against the Nashville Predators and now lead 3-1 in the series. The Colorado Avalanche also only need one more win to advance to the second round. In front of their own fans in Denver there was a 5-1 win against the Winnipeg Jets.
2024-04-30 22:09:53
#Lakers #fail #NBA #playoffs #Nuggets
