After finally snapping their losing streak to the Denver Nuggets in Game 4 to stave off elimination, the Los Angeles Lakers looked to build off that in Game 5 back at Ball Arena.
The Lakers’ season was of course still on the line with them facing a 3-1 series deficit, and it came to an unfortunate end on another Jamal Murray buzzer-beater to secure a 108-106 victory for the Nuggets.
Murray was a game-time decision due to a left calf strain but was able to give it a go and got the scoring started with the first six points for his team to give the Nuggets a 6-3 lead.
After Darvin Ham won an early challenge on an Austin Reaves foul call on a Murray 3-point attempt, the Lakers responded with eight straight points to take their first lead and force a Denver timeout.
Unfortunately though, Rui Hachimura missed some wide open looks while Jamal Murray stayed hot to put the Nuggets up 16-13.
From there though, the Nuggets started committing some silly turnovers with LeBron James and Anthony Davis taking advantage in the paint. Denver ended the first quarter on a 10-0 run, however, taking a 28-24 lead.
After a rough first quarter, D’Angelo Russell got on the scoreboard with a layup to begin the second before connecting from deep. James and Davis continued to do work inside from there with the Lakers locking in defensively to take a 41-34 advantage with a 12-0 run of their own.
The rest of the second quarter was a lot of back-and-forth scoring as well as bad turnovers by each team. For the fifth straight time though, the Lakers went into the halftime locker room with a lead at 53-50.
Hachimura missed a number of wide open shots in the first half but began the third quarter by hitting one from deep. Davis was then hit on the shoulder by Michael Porter Jr. and went down in a lot of pain although ultimately was able to stay in there for his team despite clearly not being at 100%.
With Davis hobbled, other guys needed to step up and James sense that, scoring five straight to increase the lead to nine. Naturally though, Nikola Jokic and the Nuggets responded with five quick points of their own to keep it close. After a four-point play by Porter, the game was tied and the Denver crowd was rocking.
Davis was forced back to the locker room from there, and the Nuggets kept that momentum rolling. Sensing things slipping away though, James and the Lakers had a nice response to close the third, getting within two at 81-79.
Given how poorly both teams played in the first three quarters, it made sense that things were close going into the final stretch, tied at 95 with four minutes to play.
Of course it was Jokic that put the Nuggets up two in the final couple minutes, although the Lakers quickly answered back with a Reaves 3.
Inability to get a rebound hurt the Lakers though and Murray made them pay with a three to go up two. James as then fouled and went to the line to tie it with 26 seconds to play and did exactly that.
Again though, Murray hit the game-winner and the Lakers season came to an end.
What’s next for the Lakers
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