The reigning NBA champions, the Denver Nuggets, asserted their dominance by defeating the Los Angeles Lakers on Saturday night in Colorado.
Despite a shaky start, they rallied with a strong offense and defense, clinching a 114-103 victory in the Western Conference playoff opener. Nikola Jokic led the charge with an impressive 32 points and 12 rebounds, contributing to their ninth consecutive win against the Lakers.
Although LeBron James showcased his prowess with 19 points in the first half, including a remarkable 32-foot pull-up 3-pointer just before halftime, the Nuggets tightened their defense in the second half. They limited James to only nine points and prevented him from attempting a shot in the fourth quarter until the final 1:20 of the game.
Nuggets coach Michael Malone emphasized his team's resilience, stating, “We’re not going anywhere. This is the playoffs. No team is going to give up after falling behind early. We still have plenty of fight left in us, and we know we're capable of better performances than what we showed initially.”
Acknowledging the Lakers' strength, Malone added, “That’s a formidable team over there. They entered the playoffs in great form, and it showed. LeBron was exceptional tonight—I thought he was on pace for a 50-point game with the way he was playing and shooting.”
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