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1 of 5 | Denver Nuggets defender Jamal Murray scored a twelve points successful nan 4th fourth of a triumph complete nan Los Angeles Lakers successful Game 5 of their first-round Western Conference playoff bid Monday successful Denver. Photo by Jim Ruymen/UPI | License Photo
April 30 (UPI) -- Denver Nuggets defender Jamal Murray picked up his dribble and soared complete nan paint, sinking a game-winning jumper successful nan last seconds to bounce LeBron James and nan Los Angeles Lakers from nan playoffs.
Murray, who scored a game-high 32 points, drained nan changeable pinch 4 seconds remaining successful nan 108-106 triumph Monday successful Denver.
Murray, who was nursing an injured calf, said nan Nuggets told him he shouldn't play, but he rejected that advice. His determination to play resulted successful nan Nuggets winning nan best-of-seven crippled bid 4-1.
"They conscionable didn't want maine to consequence it," Murray told reporters. "They told maine no. I didn't opportunity no. I didn't want to time off my teammates retired there."
The Nuggets narrowly outshot nan Lakers 47.2% to 46.4%, but made 42.1% of their 3-pointers, compared to their foes' 28.6% clip. The crippled featured 16 lead changes and was tied 10 times.
Murray scored a twelve complete nan first 12 minutes, helping nan Nuggets transportation a 28-24 lead into nan 2nd quarter. Lakers stars LeBron James and Anthony Davis scored 8 points apiece successful nan frame. The Lakers led 53-50 astatine halftime.
Nuggets guardant Michael Porter Jr. and halfway Nikola Jokic scored 12 and 11 points, respectively, successful nan third. The Nuggets outscored nan Lakers 31-26 successful nan 4th to transportation an 81-79 separator into nan fourth.
The Lakers started nan last framework pinch an 8-0 tally to snatch backmost nan advantage. The Nuggets and Lakers went connected to speech nan lead respective times complete nan last minutes. James tied nan people by hitting 2 free throws pinch 26 seconds remaining.
Murray past started his last dribbling series connected nan correct side, betwixt half tribunal and nan 3-point arc. Jokic came into nan area and utilized a surface connected Lakers defender Austin Reaves to create abstraction for Murray.
The Nuggets defender past flew to his left, dribbling toward nan foul line. He planted his correct ft and elevated earlier flicking his wrist and hitting his jump changeable to springiness nan Nuggets a last separator pinch 3.6 seconds remaining.
Jokic smothered James defensively connected nan last possession. James past passed disconnected to guardant Taurean Prince, who tossed up an errant last changeable arsenic nan last buzzer sounded.
Murray, who besides made nan game-winner successful Game 2, made 13 of his 28 changeable attempts and scored 12 points successful nan 4th fourth of nan bid finale. He was 5 of 10 from 3-point range.
"For Jamal, to adhd to his playoff lore by having 2 game-winners successful a bid is conscionable incredible," Nuggets coach Michael Malone said.
"The bigger nan moment, nan kid conscionable continues to shine."
Jokic chipped successful 25 points, 20 rebounds and 9 assists. Porter totaled 26 points for nan Nuggets. James logged 30 points, 11 assists, 9 rebounds and 4 steals for nan Lakers. Davis totaled 17 points, 15 rebounds and 4 assists.
The second-seeded Nuggets will big nan No. 3 Minnesota Timberwolves successful Game 1 of nan Eastern Conference semifinals Saturday successful Denver.
