DENVER — The Denver Nuggets used a dominant third quarter to build a lead they wouldn’t relinquish in Game 1 of the Western Conference First Round Saturday night, beating the Los Angeles Lakers, 114-103.
Three Nuggets posted double-doubles in the game. Nikola Jokic scored 32 points and grabbed 12 rebounds, Jamal Murray had 22 points and 10 assists, and Aaron Gordon added 12 points and 11 boards in the win.
Michael Porter, Jr. scored 19 points and secured eight rebounds.
Down by three at the half, Denver returned to the Ball Arena floor with a vengeance, building a lead as large as 14 in the third quarter and going into the fourth with an 11-point lead.
The Nuggets, who last played six days ago in the regular season finale, got off to a slow start. They fell behind by 12 through 20 minutes of game action, but erased the entire deficit in just over three minutes during the second quarter. Denver trailed 60-57 at the half thanks to a 32-foot Lebron James three-pointer in the final seconds of the second frame.
James finished with 27 points on the night. Anthony Davis added 32 of his own for Los Angeles.
The win marks the ninth consecutive win for the Nuggets over Los Angeles, including the sweep in last year’s Western Conference Finals.
Denver Nuggets
Nikola Jokic pulled up to Game 1 looking like Gru from ‘Despicable Me’
Denver Nuggets first-round schedule
Here's a look at how you can watch all of Denver's first-round playoff games against Los Angeles (all times MT):
- Game 2: Lakers vs. Nuggets; Monday, April 22 (8 p.m., TNT)
- Game 3: Nuggets vs. Lakers; Thursday, April 25 (8 p.m., TNT)
- Game 4: Nuggets vs. Lakers; Saturday, April 27 (6:30 p.m., Denver7)
- Game 5: Lakers vs. Nuggets; Monday, April 29 (TBD, TBD)* - if necessary
- Game 6: Nuggets vs. Lakers; Thursday, May 2 (TBD, TBD)* - if necessary
- Game 7: Lakers vs. Nuggets; Saturday, May 4 (TBD, TNT)* - if necessary
