Nuggets best Lakers in 4th; take 2-0 series lead as series shifts to LA
The Lakers struggled in the 4th quarter, and the Nuggets took advantage. Denver now holds a 2-0 series lead as the series shifts to LA.
Jamal Murray outscored the Lakers by himself in the final 10 minutes 😳 pic.twitter.com/JgFTTuaQXW
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) May 19, 2023
The Lakers did a good job containing Jamal Murray in the first three quarters, but he exploded in the 4th. Murray led the game in scoring with 37 points. LA’s offense also struggled down the stretch, leading to their 108-103 loss.
Anthony Davis and LeBron James did not play up to their standard. Davis finished with 18 points and 14 rebounds, while James had 22 points, nine rebounds, and ten assists. These numbers don’t seem bad, but their play down the stretch contributed to the loss.
Rui Hachimura and Austin Reaves were bright spots in the loss. Hachimura had 21 points, while Reaves had 22 points and five assists.
For the Nuggets, Nikola Jokic had another triple-double. Jokic had 23 points, 17 rebounds, and 12 assists in Denver’s victory.
The Lakers were 0-5. 2-10. The 13th seed.
— Lakers All Day Everyday (@LADEig) May 19, 2023
Fought and clawed their way into the play-in. Beat the Wolves. Defeated the 2-seeded Grizzlies. Defeated the defending-champion Warriors. And are now down 0-2 in the WCF.
I don’t think this team is counting themselves out. I sure as…
While Denver is up 2-0, the series is going back to LA, where the Lakers are undefeated in the playoffs. It will even the series if they can win both games in LA. The Lakers have faced a ton of adversity all season long, starting 2-10 and being in 13th place in the Western Conference at the trade deadline.
They’ve been a resilient group and will come out and fight hard in Game 3.
It’s important to remember the saying, “A series doesn’t start until the home team loses.” If the Lakers win at home, it will set up a pivotal Game 5 back in Denver.