Jamal Murray, Nuggets Hold Off LeBron James, Lakers for Game 3 Win

The Denver Nuggets aren't done fighting.

Denver defeated the Los Angeles Lakers 114-106 in Tuesday's Game 3 of the Western Conference Finals at Walt Disney World Resort. Jamal Murray, Nikola Jokic and Jerami Grant spearheaded the latest effort, helping their team bounce back from Anthony Davis' buzzer-beater that ended Game 2 and pull within 2-1 in the series.

A defense-driven spurt in the fourth quarter that cut a 20-point deficit to three was not enough for the Lakers, who are still two wins away from their first NBA Finals appearance since 2010 and now have to worry about a Denver squad that already has two 3-1 comebacks this postseason playing with momentum.

Notable Player Stats

• Jamal Murray, G, DEN: 28 PTS, 12 AST, 8 REB, 2 STL
• Nikola Jokic, C, DEN: 22 PTS, 10 REB, 5 AST
• Jerami Grant, F, DEN: 26 PTS, 2 STL
• Monte Morris, G, DEN: 14 PTS
• LeBron James, F, LAL: 30 PTS, 11 AST, 10 REB, 2 BLK, 2 STL, 6 TO
• Anthony Davis, F, LAL: 27 PTS, 2 REB
• Rajon Rondo, G, LAL: 9 PTS, 8 AST, 3 STL

Jamal Murray Rescues Balanced Denver Attack

It would have been easy for the Nuggets to go through the motions and not put up much of a fight in this game.

After all, they entered staring at a daunting task that required them to win four of five against the powerhouse Lakers. That would be hard enough without the demoralizing reality that their comeback in Game 2 to take the lead in the final seconds all went to waste when Davis drilled his three at the buzzer.

Instead, Jokic was aggressive from the start, mixing in some post moves and fadeaways over LeBron James and Davis. Murray also found his shot quickly, although it was far from a two-man effort.

Monte Morris provided a spark off the bench, which was much-needed considering the Nuggets didn't have a single double-digit scorer outside of Jokic, Murray and Michael Porter Jr. in the first two games and struggled to match the Lakers' supporting cast.

Morris was not the only member of the supporting cast who helped propel the Nuggets. Grant took over in the third quarter as he hit from the outside, got out in transition, drove the lane and got to the free-throw line all while guarding James and even Davis on the other side.

Jokic and Murray certainly didn't go missing as Grant and Morris made their impact and continued to work in their two-man game with pick-and-pops, timely passes and a powerful Murray dunk. Both facilitated when the defense collapsed, and the fact that the supporting case was dialed in to take advantage of the looks was critical.

Still, it all looked like it was going to waste when Los Angeles dialed up the defensive intensity in the fourth quarter and forced turnover after turnover. The Nuggets appeared scared to attack the rim and started pressing on every possession, which created transition opportunities on the other end.

Enter Murray, who drilled a three, assisted a Paul Millsap dunk and hit another three all in the final three minutes to push a four-point lead to 12. If he hadn't done that, even the Comeback Nuggets wouldn't have been able to overcome a 3-0 deficit after blowing a 20-point lead.

Lakers' Defensive Charge Comes Up Just Short

Most teams would have been blown out from the start of Tuesday's contest when faced with the elevated energy level of a desperate Nuggets side.

Most teams don't have James and Davis.

Davis' ability to get to the line and score on the blocks combined with James' facilitating with nine assists in the first half alone was the only reason the Lakers were even within striking distance following Denver's hot start. James in particular barreled his way into the lane and either scored himself when no help came or found the open shooters when it did.

He also threw in an array of mid-range shots in the third quarter, but the Lakers still found themselves behind by 20 points in the fourth quarter.

That is when they shifted to an aggressive matchup zone with Jams, Davis, Rajon Rondo and even Alex Caruso getting into the grill of Denver's ball-handlers and darting into passing lanes. The newfound effort led to multiple dunks on the other side, and the Purple and Gold came roaring back to as close as three points.

They ultimately ran out of energy at the end, but they also showed they can take over at a moment's notice in this series on defense. Look for that zone and intensity to make another appearance in future games.

What's Next?

Game 4 of the series is Thursday at 9 p.m. ET.