DENVER — Denver Nuggets level guard Jamal Murray was in the course of a horrible offensive sport. Halfway by the third quarter, he was 3-for-15 taking pictures and a careless turnover led to a LeBron James dunk and an 11-point Los Angeles Lakers lead.
Murray went from can’t shoot to can’t miss.
He made seven consecutive pictures after the poor begin and completed with a game-high 37 factors because the Nuggets defeated the Lakers 108-103 in Recreation 2 of the Western Convention finals Thursday.
Denver remained unbeaten at dwelling within the playoffs and did what it wanted to do: retained home-court benefit by the primary two video games in opposition to the Lakers.
The collection shifts to Los Angeles for the subsequent two video games. Recreation 3 is Saturday (8:30 p.m. ET).
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The Nuggets didn’t have the identical offensive outburst they’d in Recreation 1 however managed to beat foul hassle and Murray’s begin.
Murray instigated a 30-10 Nuggets run within the second half that had the Lakers trying drained. Nuggets two-time MVP Nikola Jokic assembled one other triple double, registering 23 factors, 17 rebounds and 12 assists, and Michael Porter Jr. performed by foul hassle to complete with 16 factors and 7 rebounds.
The Lakers had common performances from James and Anthony Davis — not ok in opposition to the No. 1 seed within the West. James, who missed a number of pictures on the rim he usually makes, had 22 factors, 10 assists and 9 rebounds, and Davis scored 18 factors however was simply 4-for-15 from the sphere. Rui Hachimura added 21 factors off the bench for Los Angeles.
