Murray, Nuggets Get Comeback Win Over Lakers – There were heroics in the ‘Mile High City’ on Monday night. Star point guard Jamal Murray was not his normal, efficient self and shot a miserable 9-of-24 from the field in Game 1 of the Denver Nuggets’ opening-round series against the Los Angeles Lakers. It was deja vu as he struggled just as severely through the first three quarters in Game 2, and it showed on full display for everyone to see on the scoreboard.
The Nuggets trailed by as many as 20 points in the second half. They could not stop nor did they have any answers for the signature LeBron James-Anthony Davis pick-and-roll. A loss would have given the Lakers and their fans hope going back home to Los Angeles with the series knotted at 1. The Lakers were in prime position to steal home-court advantage.
Do not ever underestimate the heart of a champion. The Nuggets finished off one of the most spectacular playoff comebacks you will ever see and left you on the edge of your seat. The Lakers, appearing to be gassed, playing at altitude, could not manufacture a stop down the stretch. Murray and Nikola Jokic took the Lakers to the woodshed in pick-and-roll repeatedly. Murray, with ice water in his veins, tied the score at 97 apiece with two clutch free throws and only 57.1 seconds remaining.
He tied the score again at 99, all with a mid-range jumper. And then it happened. After the Nuggets rebounded a missed 3-pointer by James, Murray took the ball with a chance to win. With Davis guarding him, he drove to the rim, veered towards the corner, went up, faded away, and swish. It was the first buzzer-beater in Nuggets playoff history.
Murray tumbled into the Nuggets’ bench along with Davis just as his shot fluttered the net and the roar from the crowd shook Ball Arena.
“I just lost my balance and fell. I think A.D. was in my way or somebody was in my way and I just heard everybody scream and that’s how I knew it went in,” said Murray, who was mobbed by his teammates after his bucket gave the reigning NBA champions their 10th consecutive win over the Lakers.
Embed from Getty ImagesThe win gives the Nuggets a 2-0 lead in the series over the Lakers. The Nuggets starting five, who came into the contest 37-0 as a unit when they played a Western Conference foe at home, kept that streak alive as well.
But most importantly, they stuck a dagger in the hearts of their opponents. In 2020, the Nuggets played the Lakers in the Western Conference Finals in the Orlando Bubble and nearly pulled off a similar comeback. A 3-pointer at the buzzer by Davis gave the Lakers a stunning win, a 2-0 series lead, and eventually helped vault them to the Finals against the Miami Heat. Now, Murray has returned the favor, and if the Nuggets have their way, it will lead to the same ending.
“A 20-point lead in this league, it’s not safe, especially against the defending champion,” James said. “We’ve got to do better. But we had our chances.”
