The guard plays a sumptuous last quarter and crushes Los Angeles that LeBron is not enough for. Race 3 on the night between Saturday and Sunday
The Denver Nuggets also win game 2 and now put LeBron James’ Los Angeles Lakers back to the wall, his left ankle hurting from a contact with Aaron Gordon during the game but not in doubt for the decisive game 3 in LA on the Italian night between Saturday and Sunday (starting at 2:30).
Denver Nuggets vs Los Angeles Lakers 108-103 (2-0)
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After the victory in game 1 with 31 points scored, 5 rebounds, 5 assists and 3 steals, Jamal Murray had entered a whirlwind of judgments and analyzes in the media that pointed him out as the weak link of the Denver Nuggets due to his acclaimed poor offensive attitudes. The Lakers’ game plan should have been to exploit Murray’s defensive difficulties to one’s advantage, but the Canadian, who understandably failed to become a Gary Payton-like defender in a few days, transformed all this negativity that inexplicably hovered around him into opportunity. Oh yes, because if Denver is now only two victories away from the NBA Finals, the merit is above all of him. Murray scored 23 of his 37 total points in the 4th period and swept Los Angeles, which up to that point had built the conditions to tie the series.
Slow start
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The Nuggets guard, before changing the fate of this game, had shot 5/17 in the first three quarters. Then the transformation, perfectly in line with the colors and boundaries of his character: 6/7 shooting with three fatal triples that gave the Nuggets the chance to produce the decisive run of 15-1 that split the game in two. Nikola Jokic signed another triple-double, his 13th in the playoffs, with 23 points, 17 points and 12 assists, and was as usual fundamental in every aspect of the game. Without him, Denver would never be as competitive as this level, but without Jamal Murray, there wouldn’t be a single chance to beat the Lakers and reach the Finals. Darvin Ham’s team played a very good game for three quarters, better balanced in rotations and defensive pairings (Jarred Vanderbilt in the starting lineup and Rui Hachimura with 30′ of use starting from the bench) than in game 1, and was solid in the interpretation of your own basketball. Defensively, the Lakers also met at times but Murray’s exploit in the 4th period leaves some regrets in terms of tactical choices and adjustments, as well as obviously having created an emotional abyss in the spirit of the players.
Los Angeles better but not enough
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Los Angeles shot badly from three points (8/30, 26.7%), true, and was less brilliant and enthralling in attack but managed the game with personality, compensating in other nuances of the game and really creating the foundations necessary to win it . LeBron finished with 22 points, 10 assists, 9 rebounds, 4 steals and 2 blocks, while Anthony Davis added 18 points, shooting 4/15 from the field, with 14 rebounds, 4 assists and 4 blocks. The supporting cast responded well (Reaves 22 points, Hachimura 21 points) considering the lowest score compared to game 1 and overall the Lakers worked better than in the first game. But still another defeat came, this time much heavier in terms of the script of the series. One would say, simplifying, that it’s all Jamal Murray’s fault, and perhaps from a certain point of view it is.
Denver: Murray 37 (11/24, 6/14 from three, 9/10 tl), Jokic 23, Porter Jr. 16. Rebounds: Jokic 17. Assists: Jokic 12.
Los Angeles: James 22 (9/19, 0/6 from three, 4/4 lugs), Reaves 22, Hachimura 21. Rebounds: Davis 14. Assists: James 10.
May 19, 2023 (change May 19, 2023 | 07:32)
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