LOS ANGELES — Jamal Murray scored 37 factors, Nikola Jokic added 24 factors and eight assists, and the Nuggets rolled to a 3-0 lead within the Western Convention finals with a 119-108 victory over the Lakers on Saturday night time.
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope scored 12 of his 17 factors within the second half towards his former workforce for the top-seeded Nuggets, who’ve by no means been this near the NBA Finals in 47 years within the league.
Denver blew an enormous early lead in Recreation 3, however made a decisive 13-0 run within the fourth quarter to snap the Lakers’ nine-game dwelling successful streak since March 26, together with seven straight victories because the common season ended.
No workforce has rallied from a 3-0 playoff sequence deficit in NBA historical past. Recreation 4 is Monday night time in Los Angeles.
Anthony Davis had 28 factors and 18 rebounds for the seventh-seeded Lakers, who hadn’t misplaced three straight video games since early February.
Los Angeles’ extended, determined surge ever because the commerce deadline has lastly run out of steam towards the powerhouse Nuggets, who’ve received 5 consecutive playoff video games.
LeBron James had 23 factors, 12 assists and 7 rebounds for Los Angeles, hitting three 3-pointers after beginning the sequence 0 for 13 from distance.
Austin Reaves added 23 factors and 7 rebounds, however Rui Hachimura was the one different Lakers scorer to crack double figures with 13 factors.
Jokic’s streak of 4 consecutive triple-doubles resulted in a reasonably quiet recreation for the two-time MVP. However Murray scored 17 factors in a dynamic first quarter following his 23-point fourth quarter two nights in the past, and he had 30 factors by halftime of Recreation 3.
Bruce Brown scored 15 factors and hit a key 3-pointer down the stretch for the Nuggets earlier than Jokic all however iced it on a 3-pointer with 3:17 to play.
The Lakers’ passionate followers turned out in power for the 17-time champion franchise’s first convention finals video games at dwelling since 2010, the yr of their final title.
Los Angeles tried desperately to get again within the sequence, with James enjoying 43 minutes after spraining his left ankle in Recreation 2 on prime of his already sore proper foot.
However the Nuggets’ flight to the coast didn’t cool off Murray within the slightest: After lighting up the Lakers to shut Recreation 2, the Canadian guard made his first 5 pictures in Recreation 3 and poured in 17 factors within the first quarter — even whereas Jokic went scoreless for the second straight quarter.
Murray’s fourth 3-pointer of the night time made him 11 of 13 from the sphere for 26 factors halfway by means of the second quarter, scoring greater than half of Denver’s factors at an unbelievable tempo.
Reaves and Davis stored the Lakers in it, with Reaves racking up 15 factors, three assists and three rebounds within the second quarter alone.
Hachimura’s 3-pointer early within the fourth gave the Lakers their first lead because the opening minutes, however the Nuggets took cost once more in a rally highlighted by Brown’s 3-pointer with 7:02 to play, after which he taunted the Lakers’ bench with Los Angeles’ personal “Freeze” 3-point celebration.
D’Angelo Russell had one other tough recreation for the Lakers, scoring three factors on 1-of-8 taking pictures in 20 minutes.
Russell was the Lakers’ greatest addition of their commerce deadline transformation, however the level guard has simply 21 factors on this three-game sequence.
