Just when you thought the Denver Nuggets couldn’t get more clutch against the Los Angeles Lakers, they went and did it again!
In an absolutely insane Game 2, the Nuggets erased a massive 20-point deficit to stun LeBron and co. with a heart-stopping 108-106 victory.
With the improbable win, Denver has now taken a commanding 2-0 series lead as the series shifts to LA. More incredibly, the Nuggets have won an astonishing 10 straight games over the vaunted Lakers dating back to their playoff clash last year.
While Jamal Murray’s cold-blooded game-winner over Anthony Davis at the buzzer will deservedly make all the highlights, his running mate Nikola Jokic also etched his name into the NBA’s playoff record books.
The Joker’s Stat-Stuffing Brilliance
Jokic was simply unreal, producing one of the most ridiculous stat lines in postseason history to power Denver’s crazy comeback.
When the dust settled, the unstoppable Serbian center had racked up 27 points, 20 rebounds, 10 assists and 2 steals.
In doing so, Jokic incredibly became the first player ever to post that exact box score line in an NBA playoff game (per Basketball-Reference). Let that insane across-the-board production soak in for a moment.
But Jokic’s brilliance didn’t stop there. This was actually his 4th career postseason game with at least 20 points, 20 boards and 10 dimes – tying him with Wilt freakin’ Chamberlain for the most such games in league playoff history. The Joker is reaching rarefied air!
Whether it was hitting clutch buckets, grabbing every rebound in sight, or setting up teammates with pinpoint passes, the two-time MVP simply would not let his Nuggets lose. His dominance on both ends was a huge driving force behind the epic rally.
Lakers Let Another One Slip Away
For the Lakers, this was a devastatingly painful loss after playing so well for most of the night. For three quarters, they seemed to have things in cruise control, building a 20-point cushion behind a balanced attack.
But as has become an agonizing trend in this matchup, the Lakers simply could not put the tough, resilient Nuggets away when they had their chance in crunch time.
Time and again, they let Denver hang around just enough to steal it late.
Whether it was unforced turnovers, blown defensive assignments or just a lack of execution down the stretch, the Lakers crumbled in the face of Denver’s unrelenting pressure.
Davis had some huge buckets but also made the critical mistake of fouling the red-hot Murray on his game-winner.
LeBron and co. will be kicking themselves for letting this one slip away. They clearly outplayed Denver for long stretches but just couldn’t close it out, continuing their recent misery against this matchup.
Murray Catches Fire At The Right Time
Credit also has to go to Murray, who overcame a rough shooting night (6/15 FG) to absolutely torch the Lakers down the stretch with cold-blooded shotmaking.
The ultra-confident Canadian guard simply refused to let Denver lose, draining one huge bucket after another in the final few minutes to cap the epic rally. His game-winning step-back over Davis’ outstretched arms was the dagger, sending Denver into euphoria.
It was the latest heroic, legacy-defining performance from Murray in the playoffs. With their grit, hustle, and shotmaking from their two stars, the battle-tested Nuggets simply will not die against this Lakers squad.
Now, with a 2-0 hole to overcome, the pressure is firmly on LeBron, AD and the Lakers to try and dig their way out of this deepening series deficit when it shifts back to LA.
This young, fearless Nuggets squad is making a serious case as the new bullies of the Western Conference.
