114-103. The Nuggets repeat the script against the Lakers

Sports Editorial (USA), April 20 (EFE).- The Denver Nuggets took the lead this Saturday in their first round series against the Los Angeles Lakers, winning 114-103, a match that was reminiscent of recent confrontations between both teams.

The Lakers cannot shake off the curse they have with Nikola Jokic and company, who swept them 4-0 in the 2023 Western final and this season they also beat them in all three regular season games.

The Angelenos have not beaten Denver in a match since December 2022 (nine losses in a row including today’s) and tonight they once again recited a script that is already known: they managed to play an even game and gave a decent image but in the end the Victory went to the powerful and perfectly integrated Nuggets.

For the current NBA champions and second in the West this year, Nikola Jokic gave the umpteenth performance with 32 points (15 of 23 shooting), 12 rebounds and 7 assists.

The entire starting quintet of Mike Malone’s team finished in double figures in scoring: Jamal Murray (22 points, 6 rebounds and 10 assists), Michael Porter Jr. (19 points and 8 rebounds), Aaron Gordon (12 points, 11 rebounds and 7 assists) and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (12 points).

In the Lakers, seventh in the West via play-in, Anthony Davis (32 points, 14 rebounds and 5 assists) and LeBron James (27 points, 6 rebounds and 8 assists) gave everything but had little support from their companions.

Especially sad was D’Angelo Russell’s night with 13 points, a poor 6 of 20 shooting and 1 of 9 in triples.

Those in purple and gold started off great with a brilliant first quarter on offense in which they made 61.9% of their shots.

LeBron took charge of the operations (12 points, 3 rebounds and 5 assists) and the Lakers closed the first twelve minutes at the Ball Arena in Denver with a good feeling (25-33).

They stretched their margin even further in the second quarter, when a steal and basket by LeBron gave them a +12 that would be their maximum advantage (37-49 with 6.05 left).

But the sleeping champion suddenly woke up. A resounding 14-2 run, combining defense and transition with superior rebounding, allowed the Nuggets to tie the score.

The match would have ended in a draw at halftime if LeBron had not intervened with a genius: a three-point shot from very far away and practically at the buzzer that made it 57-60 on the way to the locker room.

LeBron (19 points) and Davis (18) stood out for the Lakers while the local response came from Jokic (15 points) and Porter Jr. (11 points).

Although they may not yet be at the excellent point of form that led them to the ring last year, the Nuggets have that essence of an imposing and hierarchy team that is capable of winning with authority without even playing an extraordinary game because they have plenty of resources to break out a duel at any time.

On this occasion, the breaking point came in the third quarter with a 32-18 lead driven by a tremendous 13-0 run in the final minutes.

Caldwell-Pope had not scored a point in the first half and excelled with four three-pointers while Jokic scored or assisted on 19 of those 32 points.

Without news from the supporting actors who must support LeBron and Davis, the Lakers entered the last quarter with too much ground to recover (89-78).

Although Murray threatened to end the game early with a +15 with nine minutes left, the Lakers, with Davis showing muscle, responded with a final attack that left them -6 at the halfway point of the fourth quarter.

Nobody got nervous in the Nuggets, absolutely seasoned for this type of hot moments, and with 9 points from a sensational Jokic in the decisive moments of the last quarter they won a game with the aroma of ‘deja vu’.