LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers were eliminated from the NBA playoffs on Monday, as defending champions Denver won 108-106 to cap a 4-1 series victory.
Denver advanced to the Western Conference semi-finals against Minnesota when Jamal Murray scored 32 points, including a game-winning jump shot with four seconds left.
The Lakers, looking to become the first team in NBA playoff history to overcome a 3-0 series deficit, appeared prepared to force a Game 6 back in Los Angeles following a courageous performance that saw them lead by nine points in the third quarter.
But Denver showed their superb championship pedigree once again down the stretch and it was Murray who applied the coup de grace in a frantic finale, coolly running down the clock before draining the winning basket.
NBA icon James meanwhile finished with 30 points to lead the Lakers’ scoring with 11 assists and nine rebounds.
Anthony Davis, a Lakers defensive stalwart who appeared to be struggling with a shoulder ailment for much of the game, finished with 17 points, 15 rebounds, and four assists. However, the Lakers were ultimately defeated by Denver’s superior offensive and defensive capabilities.
Two-time NBA Most Valuable Player Nikola Jokic backed up Murray with 25 points, 20 rebounds and nine assists, while Michael Porter Jr. had 26 points including five three-pointers.
The normally accurate Lakers were also left to rue nine missed free throws, including four in the fourth quarter, that proved costly.
“It’s one of those games man, they’re a hell of a team,” Lakers coach Darvin Ham said after the defeat.
On Monday night, Jamal Murray and the Denver Nuggets defeated the Los Angeles Lakers 108-106 with a game-winning shot with 3.6 seconds remaining. The often-criticized decision-making of Lakers coach Darvin Ham, who was out of timeouts and put his team in a position to drive the ball up the court with 3.6 seconds left instead of inbounding the ball at halfcourt, was the topic of discussion after the game. The Lakers didn’t get the shot they wanted, so they had to attempt a near-half court heave as time expired to save their season.
What’s the reason? Darvin Ham contested a call late in the game. However, because it was his second challenge of the night, the Lakers were denied a timeout by rule, not withstanding the challenge’s victory.
