Nikola Jokić is perhaps the most consistent and reliable player in the NBA. In the four previous games, he had chained four triple-doubles (10 or more points, rebounds, and assists). In each of these chapters, he is often the best on his team. This Saturday, however, was his lazy day. Partly because things weren’t going the way he wanted, and partly because he racked up four fouls with nearly 20 minutes left in the game. His contribution was discreet for three quarters of the game, but when the moment of truth arrived it was the same as ever. After beating the Lakers in Los Angeles this Saturday (108-119), the Denver Nuggets are 3-0 up in the series and almost decided in the Western Conference Finals, their best of seven games.
Denver’s shows why they were the best regular-season team in the West. Not only do they have Jokić, but they complement him with a strong outside play led by Jamal Murray, who reached the playoffs in a state of grace. Murray, who coached at LeBron James’ academy as a teenager, is now on the verge of knocking out the veteran Lakers star.
In the history of best-of-seven games, a team has taken a 3-0 lead 149 times. Only an unprecedented performance can save the Lakers, who host the Nuggets again this Monday.
Murray had a goal-fest in the first half of the game and seemed to be the follow-up to the fourth quarter of Game 2 of the series. He scored 30 points by driving to the basket, shooting from middle range and mercilessly bombing the Lakers from the 3-point line. Despite this, the Nuggets came in just 3 points clear at half-time as Jokić was unable to accompany Murray on his goal. He made a streak of 2 of 8 shots from the field, unsuitable for a player who had a 63% success rate in the regular season. Part of the credit goes to Davis and his intimidation skills.
Davis also scored 15 points in the first half, scoring 6 points from 11. Austin Reaves scored another 15 points by forcing fouls on his drives to the basket and scoring 4 of 6 points. He was the player who kept the Lakers afloat during the difficult moments of the first half. In that first half, LeBron James focused more on dividing the game than scoring and went into the break with 9 points, 7 assists and 3 rebounds.
The Nuggets took the lead in the first quarter by a 20-32 lead and the Lakers trailed the entire first half. They leveled the score just before halftime, but a final three put Denver ahead at halftime (55-58).
Jokić, who committed three fouls before the break, committed his fourth foul with less than five minutes left in the second half. At this point he had 9 points, 4 rebounds and 6 assists. But even with Jokić on the bench, the Lakers were unable to turn the game around in the third quarter. 5:18 before halftime, Austin Reaves equalized with a three for the 71st, but Denver’s team escaped again thanks to a successful outside shot from Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Michael Porter Jr. For the Lakers, LeBron James, who failed to make a 3-point basket in the entire game against the Nuggets, hit the first late in the third quarter and hit the second in the attack that followed.
They went into the last quarter with an 82-84 score for Denver and Jokić was back on track. The Lakers took the lead with a treble and entered a period of alternatives. But the Serbian center was the same as ever, the Denver shooters continued with the most sophisticated goal. Jokić was the top scorer in the last quarter, the gap grew and the Lakers had no other choice.
By the end of the game, Murray had 37 points, 7 rebounds and 6 assists while the Serbian center had 24 points (15 in the last quarter), 6 rebounds and 8 assists. Both have taken turns, passing some Lakers who don’t know how to handle them. In Los Angeles, Davis added 28 points and 18 rebounds; James, 23 points, 12 assists and 7 rebounds and Reaves, 23 points, 7 rebounds and 5 assists. However, there is a feeling of powerlessness among the Angelenos.
Before the closing horn, the audience started the parade. Earlier they had given a solemn ovation to the Spaniard Pau Gasol, sitting in the front row amidst celebrities and stars (Eddie Murphy, Jack Nicholson, Quavo, Denzel Washington, Jake Gyllenhaal…), who ended the game disappointed.
The Lakers, the most successful team in the NBA and traditional dominator of the Western Conference, have been the historic executioners of the Nuggets every time they met in the playoffs or conference finals. The last time it was in 2020 in the Orlando bubble. The Colorado team seeks historic revenge.
The third game of the series will be played in the Eastern Conference finals this Sunday in Miami. The Heat have caused a stir with two wins in Boston in their first two games and the Celtics are desperate to catch up. So far, the Miami have been able to play as a team, although much of the game has come from their two stars, Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo. At the Celtics, Jayson Tatum has posted good stats in his first two games, but his misses at crucial moments hide them. Jaylen Brown was a bit below his level and Al Horford lost the game under the rings against Adebayo.
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