Europe1 .fr with AFP 11:22 am, May 19, 2023

LeBron James and his Lakers teammates suffered another loss Thursday in the game stage against Nikola Jokic's Nuggets in the Western Conference finals. A success that was reminiscent of their first meeting, with a decisive Murray in the last quarter.

Jamal Murray caught fire in the final quarter to lead the way for the Nuggets on Thursday (108-103), in the NBA playoffs, and give Denver a 2-0 lead against the Lakers in the Western Conference finals. Nikola Jokic in triple-double (23 pts, 17 rbds, 12 assists), Murray with 37 pawns (10 rbds), five players with more than 10 units, the recipe for success resembled that of the first game for the Colorado franchise.

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But this time, it was Murray's turn, and not Jokic, to be decisive in the final quarter that he played in full by scoring 23 points (6/7 shooting), including four of five from behind the arc. Enough to propel his family to victory, while the Serbian two-time MVP and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope remained silent.

"The game would have been much easier if I had made those shots in the first period," recalled the 26-year-old Canadian point guard, who displayed a more than suspicious address before the last resumption (5/17). "I missed some really good shots but my team told me to keep shooting."

"Unbelievable"

Opposite, LeBron James also continued on the same basis, this time going to a rebound of the triple-double (22 pts, 10 assists). Austin Reaves added as many points and Rui Hachimura, off the bench, one less. The latter had started his game perfectly by not missing any of his seven attempts in the first quarter, keeping the Nuggets in respect as they had broken away from the start of the first game. But the Japanese then went extinguished, managing only one shot (8/10).

That didn't stop the Lakers, who had as many as 11 points, from leading early in the 2nd quarter with 9:21 left in the lead. Murray's moment to give his side the lead with an award-winning shot. Then Denver didn't let go until the end.

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"I think he's been amazing," Jokic explained. "At the most important moment, he scored the points that made us win." "They tested us," Murray commented. "I just think we stayed disciplined, even when they were doing series ... We were able to make the necessary adjustments."

The one who has not been able to settle, after his flamboyant performance in game number 1 (40 pts), is Anthony Davis. The Lakers interior, although active (14 rbds, 4 blocks), did not find the target, contributing 18 points but 4/15 shooting (9/11 shots).

"A lot of energy"

"The three-point shots killed us in the fourth quarter, but I didn't see any (defensive) fouls" from the Lakers, LeBron James said. The Nuggets will travel to Los Angeles for the next two games of the series, with No. 3 on Saturday's home floor.

"The public will be there. They're going to run, they're going to play fast, with a lot of energy. We have to be able to handle that," warned Jamal Murray who, in 2020, was already there when Los Angeles eliminated Denver from its way to the finals of the Western Conference... before heading to the title.

Especially since the Lakers remain on seven wins in a row in their room since the beginning of the playoffs. "You can't approach a playoff game in comfort," LeBron James said. "We have to be even more energized when we play at home."