LeBron James, Lakers Eliminated by Jokić, Nuggets as Fans Question End of NBA Era
The Los Angeles Lakers are going to see Jamal Murray in their nightmares throughout the offseason.
The Denver Nuggets guard, who already hit a buzzer-beater to win Game 2 of their first-round series against the Purple and Gold, ended Los Angeles' season with a jumper in the final seconds of Monday's Game 5 at Ball Arena. The Lakers' desperation shot at the buzzer was well short, and the Nuggets celebrated a 108-106 victory as they advanced to the second round.
As for the Lakers, they went a combined 1-8 against the reigning champions in the playoffs the last two seasons and didn't have enough firepower on the road even with an incredible game from LeBron James.
Murray (32 points and seven assists), Nikola Jokić (25 points, 20 rebounds and nine assists) and Michael Porter Jr. (26 points) were all excellent, while double-doubles from James (30 points, 11 assists, nine rebounds and four steals) and Anthony Davis (17 points and 15 rebounds) were not enough for the Lakers.
The elimination of James meant one more legend will not play in the second round, which is something social media noticed:
That Murray played the role of hero was even more notable because it was unclear if he would even play before the game because of a calf injury. Throw in Kentavious Caldwell-Pope temporarily leaving the game with an ankle injury and Reggie Jackson dealing with an ankle setback of his own, and the Nuggets were not at full strength.
Los Angeles' stars took advantage in the early going to build a halftime lead with the James-Davis pick-and-roll proving unstoppable, especially when targeting Jokić. Throw in significant turnover issues on Denver's side, and it seemed like the Lakers were in control.
Even with that impressive start, the Lakers' fortunes took a turn for the worse when Davis suffered a shoulder injury. While he remained in the game, he struggled to lift it and was clearly in serious pain.
That put more of the onus on James, and the 39-year-old was in full control for extended stretches. He mixed in explosive drives to the lane all while controlling the pace and consistently setting up his teammates for open looks when double teams came his way.
James did everything he could to keep the Lakers within striking distance by bulldozing his way into the paint and carrying the offense when Davis was laboring, but the reigning champions are inevitable.
Whether it was Murray throwing down a monster slam over James, Jokić stuffing the stat sheet or Porter unleashing silky smooth shots, Denver always had an answer.
And Murray's answer at the end was the loudest.
