NBA: Nuggets Take 3-0 Series Lead Against Lakers
Point guard Jamal Murray recorded 37 points as the Denver Nuggets beat the Los Angeles Lakers 119-108 to take a 3-0 series lead in their NBA Western Conference finals, at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, USA.
Murray, who was filling up the basket early and often on Saturday night, scored 30 of his 37 points in the first half as the Nuggets maintained control of the game. Two-time MVP Nikola Jokic finished with 24 points, 8 assists and 6 rebounds.
🏀 FINAL SCORE 🏀
Jamal Murray shows out once again as the @nuggets secure a 3-0 lead in the Western Conference Finals!
Nikola Jokic: 24 PTS, 8 AST, 6 REB
Anthony Davis: 28 PTS, 18 REB, 2 BLK
LeBron James: 23 PTS, 12 AST, 7 REBGame 4: Monday, 8:30 PM ET on ESPN pic.twitter.com/zZanOraWSq
— NBA (@NBA) May 21, 2023
The Nuggets are one victory away from reaching the NBA Finals for the first time in franchise history. They can clinch Monday night when Game 4 is held in Los Angeles.
“Just trying to keep everyone in the moment,” Murray said. “You need 16 wins to win a championship and we have five more to go.
“The Lakers are in our way and they’re going to do everything they can to fight. They’re not going to lay down and let us beat them on their home floor,” Murray added.
Stopping Murray and Jokic will be a big focus for the Lakers in Game 4.
The Lakers are very aware that no team in NBA history has recovered from a 3-0 deficit to win a series.
“We got to get one, just get one at a time,” Los Angeles star LeBron James said. “Just focus on Game 4, that’s all you can think about. Obviously, this game is over with.”
“We had some opportunities and we didn’t come through. It’s a one-game series for us.”
Anthony Davis recorded 28 points and 18 rebounds for seventh-seeded Los Angeles. James added 23 points, 12 assists and 7 rebounds, while Austin Reaves had 23 points and 7 rebounds.
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope scored 17 points, Bruce Brown added 15 and Michael Porter Jr. registered 14 points, 10 rebounds and 6 assists for the top-seeded Denver Nuggets. Denver had 30 assists and just six turnovers.
