|
|
|
|
Printable Page
04/29 23:52 CDT Murray overcomes calf injury to score 32 and hit game-winner in
Nuggets' 108-106 win over Lakers
Murray overcomes calf injury to score 32 and hit game-winner in Nuggets'
108-106 win over Lakers
By ARNIE STAPLETON
AP Sports Writer
DENVER (AP) --- Jamal Murray scored 32 points despite a strained calf and sank
the game-winner with 3.6 seconds left as the defending NBA champion Denver
Nuggets bounced LeBron James from the playoffs again with a 108-106 win over
the Los Angeles Lakers in Game 5 Monday night.
James' two free throws tied it at 106 with 26 seconds left and the Nuggets,
just as they did in Game 2, eschewed the timeout and Murray took the ball on a
high screen and roll to his left, shaking Austin Reaves and he crossed through
the lane and swished the 14-footer.
It was Murray's buzzer beater that won Game 2.
"This one was a little better," Murray said as confetti swirled around him and
his celebrating teammates.
Nikola Jokic, who committed an uncharacteristic seven turnovers, narrowly
missed his 19th career playoff triple-double with 25 points, 20 rebounds and
nine assists and Michael Porter Jr. scored 26.
James had 30 points and 11 assists and Davis had 17 points and 15 rebound but
appeared bothered down the stretch after banging his left shoulder into MPJ in
the second half.
The Nuggets advanced to face the Minnesota Timberwolves in the second round
starting next weekend. That series starts in Denver, where the Nuggets are a
Western Conference-best 36-8, including 3-0 in the playoffs.
Not that it's been easy.
The Nuggets trailed for about three-fourths of the minutes in this series, they
scuffled through extended shooting slumps and they're a banged-up bunch that
can definitely use the rest.
The Nuggets, who swept the Lakers in the Western Conference finals last summer
on their way to winning the franchise's first NBA championship, beat the Lakers
for the 12th time in their last 13 games.
The only other time James was eliminated in the first round of the playoffs
came in 2021 when the Phoenix Suns beat L.A. in six games.
So, this was the shortest of James' 17 trips to the playoffs, where he's now
183-104 overall with a 41-13 series record and four titles.
After warming up with an ice pack on his injured calf, Murray got medical
clearance to play. He wasn't his usual explosive self on drives to the basket
--- at first --- but he managed 16 points in the first half, including 12 in
the first quarter which ended with Denver ahead (28-24) for the first time all
series.
The Lakers led 53-50 at halftime and pushed that advantage to nine points but
the Nuggets closed on a 21-10 run to take an 81-79 lead into the fourth quarter
that was tight until the buzzer.
After Murray's clutch shot, Taurean Prince heaved up a half-courter that fell
short, sending the Lakers to an early exit despite taking the defending champs
to the brink in all five games.
___
AP NBA: https://apnews.com/nba
|
| Copyright DTN. All rights reserved. Disclaimer. |
|
