Pinoyliga Daily NBA Recap: Lakers Eliminate Nuggets with Big Game Five Victory

When LeBron James does what LeBron James usually does, no team can stop him. Not even the same team who faced and came back from a 3-1 series deficit in the 2020 National Basketball Association (NBA) playoffs. Twice. 

On the day Los Angeles Lakers President Jeanie Buss is celebrating her 59th birthday, the Lakers gifted her with another trip to the NBA Finals for the first time since 2010 after beating the Denver Nuggets, 117-107 in Game Five of the Western Conference Finals. LeBron James led the way for the Purple and Gold with 38 points, 16 rebounds, and 10 assists. His three-pointer with 1:57 to go gave the Lakers a 12-point cushion and took the game out of the Nuggets' reach. For good. Anthony Davis added 27 points, three assists, two steals, and that block on Michael Porter Jr. Danny Green and Alex Caruso each had 11 points with Green shooting two for four from the three-point line. Dwight Howard started his second straight playoff game and finished with nine points, nine rebounds, and two blocks while putting Nikola Jokic into foul trouble. The Lakers shot 54% from the field and 37% from the three-point line. They outrebounded Denver, 43-36, and scored 22 points off Denver's 11 turnovers.

Nikola Jokic and Jerami Grant each had 20 points for Denver who couldn't get over the hump after being down by as much as 16 points. Jamal Murray struggled offensive as he was limited to 19 points and missed all four of his attempts from the three-point line. Paul Milsap added 13 points while Michael Porter Jr. and Monte Morris each finished with 10 points off the bench. The Nuggets shot themselves in the foot by shooting eight for 20 from the three-point line. 

The Nuggets also failed to contain LeBron James in the fourth quarter where James scored 14 points to halt every attempt of the Nuggets to come back into the game.

Photo is from Silver Screen and Roll