The Denver Nuggets will play in the NBA Finals for the first time in history! On the wings of Nikola Jokić, Zlata zrana swept the LA Lakers with a smooth 4-0 victory. Jezerniki led for a long time in the fourth game, but in the end “Joker” eliminated them with a throw for 113:111.
It seemed it would LeBron James single-handedly kept the Lakers alive in the Western Conference Finals. King James scored 31 points in an extraordinary first half performance, giving Los Angeles a 73-58 halftime lead.
But Nikola Jokic led the Nuggets’ attack in the third quarter, scoring 13 points himself, and the visitors won the quarter 36:16, catching and overtaking the Lakers. In the dramatic finale of the fourth quarter, Anthony Davis made four consecutive free throws to tie the game at 111:111, and then Jokić scored with 52 seconds left. It’s in the last seconds James had two chances to tie the game and force overtime, but first he missed a shot with 26 seconds left, then he blocked it with a good second left. Aaron Gordon.
James only statistical record for veterans
In Denver, Nikola Jokić shone as usual. The two-time NBA MVP finished the game with 30 points, adding 14 rebounds and 13 assists. The first star of the LA Lakers, LeBron James, finished the game with 40 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists. The statistical consolation for James is that he became the oldest player in NBA history to score 40 points in the playoffs.
Finals with Miami in sight
Denver Nuggets belongs to the group of 11 clubs in the current NBA League that have never won the championship title. Basketball players from Colorado will face the winner of the Eastern Conference clash in the finals, where eighth-ranked Miami leads 3-0 in victories against Boston.
Murray: We will continue to make history
“Unbelievable,” he said Jamal Murraywho this time contributed 25 points. “A lot of fun. Surreal. We’ll keep making history, that’s the point.” It took Denver 46 seasons to reach its first major final, in which it had amassed just 93 playoff wins through Monday night. In the era of Nikola Jokić, the Nuggets became the superpower of the West, but until this spring only in the regular season, and now they have Joker and colleagues a golden opportunity.
The Slovenian basketball player, who is currently on the sidelines at Zlati zrneh, will also take part in the final Vlatko Čančar he didn’t get a chance to play in the fourth game of the West final either.
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West, Final, Game Four:
LA Lakers (7) – DENVER (1) 0:4 111:113 (34:28, 39:30, 16:36, 22:19) James 40 (15/25 from the field, 4/7 for three), 10 rebounds and 9 assists, Davis 21 (6/15 from the field ) and 14 rebounds, Reaves 17 (6/11 from the field), Schröder 13 (3/6 for three), Hachimura 10, Thompson and Russell 4 each, Walker 2; Jokic 30 (11/24 from the field, 3/6 for three), 14 rebounds and 13 assists, Murray 25 (10/18 from the field, 0/4 for three), Gordon 22 (3/5 for three), Porter 15 and 10 rebounds, Caldwell Pope 13 (3/7 for three), Brown 6, Green 2, Cancar did not play.
West Finals MVP (Magic Johnson Trophy): Nikola Jokic
East, final, fourth game:
Wednesday at 2:30: MIAMI (8) – BOSTON (2) 3:0
Source: Rtvslo
