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Nuggets outlast Lakers in Sport 1, 132-126
There has by no means been a participant within the historical past of the sport of basketball like Nikola Jokic. Plain and easy. The phrase “unicorn” is insanely drained and wildly overused, but when there truly is one unicorn within the NBA, it’s Jokic. The best way he strikes will not be synonymous with the way in which an expert basketball ought to transfer, but it disarms each opponent. The best way he shoots is unorthodox; some would possibly even go so far as to name his launch “ugly.” He’s a doughy seven-footer with the basketball IQ of an All-NBA stage participant at each single place rolled into one.
Jokic doesn’t make sense. And that’s exactly what makes him so sensible.
The 2-time MVP recorded his sixth triple-double of those playoffs, scoring 34 factors, knocking down 21 rebounds, and handing out 14 assists, as his Nuggets jumped forward 1-0 on the Los Angeles Lakers within the Western Convention Finals. Denver led by as many as 21 factors within the sport, largely due to Jokic’s stupidly stellar efficiency, notably within the first three quarters.
As a result of it was the fourth quarter the place the Lakers managed to make issues particularly attention-grabbing. Although they scored 38 factors within the third, a lot to Nuggets’ head coach Michael Malone’s chagrin, Denver managed to solely lose the quarter by 4 after having led by 18 at halftime. For you mathematicians on the market, L.A.’s third-quarter efficiency solely minimize Denver’s result in 14. That’s nonetheless a major benefit.
Plus, Jokic ended the third by draining this reality-defying triple to keep up Denver’s momentum. I imply, come on.
However the Lakers saved their offensive onslaught going into the ultimate body, the place they outscored the Nuggets by eight total (34-26) and minimize the lead down to simply three. LeBron James’ skill to bully smaller defenders into the paint and draw fouls performed an enormous half; he completed the sport with 26 factors, 12 boards, and 9 assists, and shot eight-for-11 on the charity stripe. Austin Reaves added 23 factors of his personal, together with a couple of massive threes within the fourth to chop into Denver’s lead. Anthony Davis, nevertheless, was the Lakers’ offensive chief for the evening, as he scored a game-high 40 factors and made all 11 of his free throws.
But for the way nicely the Lakers performed within the fourth, it was too little too late, and the Nuggets made sufficient performs down the stretch to hold on to their lead and take Sport 1 at house. Specifically, the Nuggets had been in a position to corral a free ball and end off one of many wildest fastbreaks of the postseason to leap forward by six with simply over two minutes to go. They by no means seemed again.
Jokic’s triple-double makes him the solely participant in NBA historical past to report a couple of 30-point, 20-rebound triple-double within the postseason. (Wilt Chamberlain did it again in 1967, and Kareem Abdul-Jabaar in 1970.) As well as for Denver, Jamal Murray had 31 factors whereas coping with an ear an infection, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope scored 21 factors towards his former staff, Michael Porter Jr. completed with 15 factors and 10 boards, and Bruce Brown added 16 factors.
Sport 2 is Thursday evening in Denver, the place the Nuggets stay undefeated this postseason (7-0) and have gone 41-7 total this season, together with the playoffs.
Six extra of those, please.
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