Nuggets continue dominance over Lakers with Game 1 win
Flanked by a cacophony of die-hard fans that outshouted the Los Angeles Lakers’ pregame introductions, the reigning NBA champions, Denver Nuggets, were notably tardy to the Saturday night playoff soiree.
Despite a faltering initiation, the Nuggets magnified their offensive and defensive strategies, decisively surpassing the Lakers with a score of 114-103, guided by Nikola Jokic’s impressive 32 points and 12 rebounds. This playoff opener marked their ninth consecutive victory over the Lakers.
The Nuggets bore witness to LeBron James’ 19 first-half points, punctuated by a dramatic 3 from 32 feet in the final second that edged the Lakers ahead 60-57. Unyielding, the Nuggets restricted the NBA’s career scoring leader to a meager nine points in the second half, denying him the opportunity to even attempt a shot in the fourth quarter until a mere 1:20 was left on the clock.
James concluded the game with 27 points, and his teammate Anthony Davis concluded with 32; however, their combined efforts fell short in front of the reigning champions’ mastery.
Joining Jokic in achieving a double-double were fellow Nuggets – Jamal Murray (22 points, 10 assists) and Anthony Gordon (12 points, 11 rebounds). Michael Porter Jr. came tantalizingly close, contributing 19 points and eight rebounds.
Denver dealt James merely his fourth loss in 17 first-round openers, prompting the Nuggets’ coach Malone to admit, “We must review the match to identify our shortcomings. This series promises to be fiercely contested.”
The Lakers, winless against the Nuggets since Dec. 16, 2022, are poised to try their luck in Game 2, slated for Monday night at Ball Arena where Denver boasts an impressive 34-8 record this season.
Endorsing Malone’s prediction of a closely fought series, Lakers coach Darvin Ham remarked, “One mustn’t overestimate the significance of a single game. The Nuggets played commendably on their home turf, a traditionally challenging team to conquer. Yet, we showcased some admirable plays tonight.”
Still, Denver outshone LA on several fronts.
The Nuggets clinched 15 offensive rebounds, resulting in a superior 18 second-chance points, a significant ten points more than the Lakers. Furthermore, the Nuggets committed a mere four turnovers, with only one from their starting five. In contrast, the Lakers yielded the ball twelve times, with James contributing a staggering seven.
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, contributing all 12 of his points post-interval, made a triumvirate of 3-pointers during a 13-0 run that saw the Nuggets usurp control in the third quarter at 89-74.
Amidst personal strife, Porter shone on the court as coach Malone predicted, despite one younger brother facing a six-year jail sentence and another, a former NBA player, being banished from the sport over betting charges.
The Nuggets embarked on these playoffs with targets on their backs, but were undeterred, matching a franchise record with 57 regular season wins, four more than the preceding year.
Showcasing their playful side, Jokic, who is slated to feature in a teaser for “Despicable Me 4,” arrived at Ball Arena donning a black-and-gray striped scarf and gray pants, reminiscent of the movie’s lead character, Felonius Gru.
Perhaps James should have embodied the character Vector, as he played the perfect antagonist, at least until the halftime bell rang.
