LeBron's Lakers Are Eliminated as the Nuggets' Jamal Murray Scores the Late Basket - Latest Global News
LeBron's Lakers are eliminated as the Nuggets' Jamal Murray scores the late basket

LeBron’s Lakers Are Eliminated as the Nuggets’ Jamal Murray Scores the Late Basket

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Jamal Murray hit a game-winning 14-footer with less than four seconds left to send the host Denver Nuggets into the Western Conference semifinals with a 108-106 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers in Game 5 of a first-round playoff series.

The second-seeded Nuggets won the best-of-seven series 4-1 and will face the third-seeded Minnesota Timberwolves in the Western Conference semifinals on Saturday in Denver.

“This series definitely prepared us for the next series,” Nuggets coach Michael Malone said, “but we still have to play a lot better if we want to beat Minnesota.”

As he did in Game 2, Murray came to life in the fourth quarter and beat Los Angeles with a clutch jumper. He finished the game with a game-high 32 points, including 12 in the fourth quarter, despite playing with a strained left calf.

Murray said of the déjà vu moment: “It’s amazing. These are shots you dream about as a little kid and practice in your backyard, on the playground.”

Nikola Jokic had 25 points, 20 rebounds, nine assists and seven turnovers, Michael Porter Jr. scored 26 points and Aaron Gordon grabbed 13 rebounds for the Nuggets.

LeBron James scored 30 points, 11 assists and nine rebounds for the seventh-seeded Lakers. Anthony Davis scored 17 points and 15 rebounds despite suffering a left shoulder injury.

The game remained close in the fourth quarter. Jokic hit a game-tying runner with 2:34 left before Austin Reaves sank a three-pointer to give the Lakers a 102-101 lead with 2:12 left. The teams traded baskets to keep Los Angeles ahead, but Murray’s 3-pointer gave the Nuggets a 106-104 lead with 1:07 left.

James made two free throws with 26.3 seconds left to tie the score before Murray dribbled down the clock and scored on a fadeaway.

Los Angeles’ Taurean Prince missed a long 3-point attempt at the buzzer to win.

“It sucks losing to the same team,” Lakers coach Darvin Ham said, referring to his team’s win over Denver in the 2023 Western Conference Finals.

“I’m glad we broke the ice and were able to get one. Overall, we won a battle and they won the war.”

LeBron James has not commented on his future with the Lakers

Shortly after the game, James was asked if there was any suspicion that he had played his last game with the Lakers.

James paused for a long moment before answering, “Uhhh, I’m not going to answer that.”

Asked if pushing the defending champion Nuggets would take away some confidence from the Lakers, James said: “No, because we lost. … I’m not a “participation” type of person. We lost and you move on and see how you can get better.

“Our season has been derailed all season with … injuries and guys going back and forth. I’ve been talking about this all year. …It’s hard to say who we are, what we can be, because we have yet to be whole. I think we’ve probably only been whole once or twice this year. I know one of them was during the regular season tournament, we got healthy again and showed what we’re capable of.

“But we’ve been hit with injury after injury and it’s just hard to come back from that.”

If he decides to come back, James could decide whether to enter free agency or pick up a $51.4 million player option for the final year of his contract with the Lakers.

James just completed his 21st NBA season, which included his 20th consecutive All-Star Game selection. He is a four-time NBA champion, four-time NBA Finals MVP and four-time regular season MVP.

Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) in the third quarter against the Denver Nuggets [Isaiah J Downing/USA Today Sports via Reuters]

Oklahoma City Thunder destroys New Orleans Pelicans, Boston Celtics beat Miami Heat

Elsewhere, Jalen Williams had a 24-point performance as the Oklahoma City Thunder defeated the New Orleans Pelicans 97-89 on the night, completing a four-game sweep of their first-round playoff series.

The top-seeded Thunder will face either the fourth-seeded Los Angeles Clippers or the fifth-seeded Dallas Mavericks in the Western Conference semifinals.

In Miami, Derrick White scored a career-high 38 points on 15-for-26 shooting, including 8-for-15 from 3-point range, and the Boston Celtics cruised to a victory over the Miami Heat.

Jayson Tatum contributed 20 points and 11 rebounds for the Celtics, who took a 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven Eastern Conference quarterfinal series. However, Boston lost Kristaps Porzingis to a calf injury in the first half.

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