The Denver Nuggets have some magic on their hands with Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray leading the charge to come back from 3-1 twice this offseason. The dynamic duo has been able to eliminate Utah and the Clippers in what has come to be a valiant postseason run. The energy they bring to the court was unmatched, until now. They want to be able to reach the Finals for the first time in history, but LeBron and Co. have other plans for them.
In Game 1, it was evident that Anthony Davis was a force on the offensive end. He led the box score with 37 points, followed by both, Jamal Murray and Nikola Jokic, coming in at 21. LeBron James was throwing dimes throughout the entire game as well. He's already established himself as a scorer, but also lived true his new position as point guard. One big surprise in the game came from Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, who scored 18 points and had no turnovers.
In the first quarter, the matchup was very close and it was capped off by a three-pointer from Jamal Murray. The second and third saw Los Angeles pull away, outscoring Denver by 26 points in total. One major factor for this was Nikola Jokic's foul trouble, which allowed him to play under three minutes in the second quarter. LeBron and AD used this to their advantage, scoring a combined 33 points in the first half. Jamal Murray also had his fair share of trouble from fouls, stacking up three in the second quarter.
The third quarter saw Davis dominate in the paint, although Jokic was there this time. Nuggets head coach decided to rest 4 of his 5 starters in the fourth, and it proved useful. The starting lineup was evidently fatigued while keeping up with the fast-paced Lakers, and needed a break. Michael Porter Jr. stepped up big and helped lead the way for a comeback. Denver ended up outscoring Los Angeles by 12 points in the fourth quarter, but this was not as effective as it could've been, as the Lakers ended up winning by 12 anyways.
Does Denver have what it takes in order to even the series or will they drop to a 2-0 deficit?
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