Lakers 106 - 108 Nuggets summary, stats, scores and highlights | NBA Playoffs Game 5

The Nuggets might have a two time MVP in Nikola Jokic, but with the game on the line they know who is getting the ball in the final seconds. We saw it in Game 2, and we saw it again in Game 5. Jamal Murray carries his team to the second round with some late game heroics and sends the Lakers packing for a second straight season. 

The Nuggets will get a few days rest before starting a mouth watering series against the three seed Minnesota Timberwolves. Game 1 will be on Saturday, and that is going to be must see TV. 

Murray did everything for the Nuggets on Monday night. He had 7 assists on top of his 32 points. He hit threes. He brought energy and even had a poster jam on LeBron James. 

LA was up by double digits in the final minutes of the third quarter, but Denver clawed back and made a late run before the fourth quarter to take the lead going into the final 12 minutes. 

MIchael Porter Jr. is the perfect compliment to Jokic and Murray. As soon as you think you've done your job guarding those two, Porter creeps into a pocket of space and drills a three to dishearten his opponents. 

Nikola Jokic might have been over shadowed by Murray's heroics, but Joker was fantstic in the close out game. He had 25 points, 20 rebounds and 9 assists, He and Anthony Davis locked horns for all five games, but the Serbian might have had the advantage in the second half of Game 5 after Anthony Davis took a shot to the shoulder and stayed down on the floor for an extended amount of time. He would return but didn't do a whole lot on the offensive end. 

Every time the Nuggets needed a big shot, it was Michael Porter Jr. coming up with a dagger to sink the spirits of LA. He hit five three pointers and had a couple of huge ones late in the game. 

Despite Murray and Porter coming out hot, the Lakers went to the halftime break leading for the fifth straight game. They would almost hold off the Nuggets in the second half, but this team has too much fire power. 

Murray hit three triples in the first quarter to show everyone that he was ready, and he was locked in for this close out game. Coach Mike Malone said he had an emotional talk with Jamal before the game in which his point guard was urging him to give him the green light for Game 5 in Denver. 

Gordon didn't have his best game of the series, but did just about everything else on the defensive end and on the effort plays. He had 7 points, 13 rebounds and 6 assists and came in clutch late on with some big hustle plays. 

The Denver Nuggets are moving on to the second round following another late, dramatic win over the Los Angeles Lakers to close out the series and keep their back to back bid alive. Jamal Murray led his side with 32 points and 7 assists and saved the best for last on Monday night. 

Murray came into the the night questionable after straining his calf late in Game 4. He had his leg wrapped in pregame, and finally got the green light to play. He wasted no time getting going in the first half, scoring 12 points in the first 12 minutes. 

Before we get into the rest of the highlights, we start with this. For the second time in this series Jamal Murray wins it late. 

MURRAY WINS IT FOR THE SECOND GAME IN THIS SERIES!!! 

Denver's back to back bid is still alive!

Murray hits the runner over Reaves and Prince's half court heave is no good! 

The Nuggets hold on to win Game 5 and are heading to the second round!

LeBron gets fouled by Porter and he hits both FTs with 27 to go. 

38.1 to go! Lakers ball. 

Gordon fighting for the offensive board, and he kicks it out to Murray who strings the three ball!

LeBron drives into traffic and hits a tough left handed floater with the left hand in the lane. 

KCP missed the FT jumper but Jokic was there for the put back. 

Reaves with a gutsy pull up from downtown and he drills it!

Jokic backs down Hachimura and hits the running hook shot in the paint. 

The challenge is successful. LA ball!

AD fouled Jokic down low, but he immediately asked for a review and the Lakers oblige. If the Lakers lose it, it will be their final timeout. 

Timeout with 3:04 to go. 

Russell with a quick dribble down the lane and he finishes with a finger roll. 

Murray down the rack and Jokic found him for the one handed slam!

Timeout Lakers with 3:33 to go in the 4th. 

Reaves off the dribble and he takes it into Gordon for the runner in the lane. 

Porter got an inch of space and pulled up from the top of the key for three!

Basellne drive from Reaves who had his lay up goaltended by Gordon. 

Murray gets his own rebound and kicks it out to KCP for the wide open three from the wing!

Russell takes Jokic to the rack on the break and finishes with the finger roll. 

PIck and roll with Murray who slips it to Jokic who gets the attempted dunk to fall. 

LeBron goes right to the rack, gets fouled by KCP and gets the bucket to fall. FT is no good. 

Hachimura with the baseline cut and LeBron found him for the two handed slam!

Timeout Nuggets with 8:30 to go in the 4th quarter. 

LeBron pulls up from the top of the key and strokes the three ball!

Davis to the line after the foul on Watson and he hits one of two FTs. 

Murray answers after the missed FTs with a three ball off a hand off from Gordon!

Dinwiddie to the line after the foul on Porter, but he misses both FTs. 

Prince to the line after the foul on Murray and he hits both FTs. 

Watson drills the three ball in the corner to start the quarter. 

WE ARE AT THE END OF THE THIRD QUARTER!

DENVER TOOK THE LEAD IN THE THIRD QUARTER. CAN THEY KEEP IT TO ADVANCE TO THE NEXT ROUND?

Dinwiddie was left open in the corner and he drills the three off the kick out from Russell. 

Porter to the lie after the foul on Hayes and he hits both FTs. 

LeBron goes right intro traffic, and finishes off the glass but was slow to get up after holding his ankle. He is going to stay in. 

Jackson running the break and finds Porter wide open for three!

Jokic on the pick and roll and he pump fakes to blow past Hayes for an easy lay up. 

LeBron flies down the court off the timeout break, takes a bump and hits the runner. FT is good. 

Muray slashes to the bucket and Jokic found him for the easy lay up. 

Timeout LA with 2:49 to go in the 3rd quarter. 

Gordon driving and dumps it off for Jokic who lays it up and in. 

Porter drills the three ball in the face of AD and gets the foul! FT is no good. 

Porter passed on the three, penetrated and hit it over Reaves. 

High low game with AD and Hachimura who jams it on the baseline. 

KCP missed the three but got his own rebound and lays it up and in. 

Jokic lets it fly from the top of the key and he sinks it!

Hachimura spins and lays it up off the glass. 

Jokic with a floater in the lane and he gets the roll off the front of the rim. 

LeBron pulls up from long range and drills the three ball from the top of the key. 

Reaves to the line after the foul on the three pointer against Gordon but he makes just one of three FTs. 

Jokic with the fade away in the lane and hits it over AD. 

LeBron to the line after the foul on KCP and he hits one of two FTs. 

Murray hits the mid range jumper out of the timeout. 

Russell drills a three ball from the top of the key off the dish from LeBron and the Nuggets take a timeout with 8:55 to go in the third quarter. 

Reaves with a FT after a defensive three second call on Jokic. 

Jokic with a long outlet pass to Gordon who throws it down on the break. 

Porter pulls up from the elbow and hits the mid range J. 

LeBron blows by his defender and takes it in for the two handed jam. 

Davis goes down holding his shoulder! He and Porter collided and he is still down. 

Hachimura pulls the trigger from the corner and drills the three ball!

WE ARE BACK IN DENVER FOR THE SECOND HALF OF ACTION!

The other guys haven't shot particularly well, Rui and Russell are 5/16 but they have been chipping in enough. The Lakers lead by three going into the second half, but the third quarter is going to dictate who wins this game. 

Jokic hasn't scored much, but Gordon and Porter have been getting into the scoring action. Gordon has this dunk and a three ball while Porter got hot from downtown. 

LeBron has seven assists, but once he started seeing his teammates start to hit shots, he took over. He's got 10 but let's watch him try to get more involved in the second quarter. 

Jamal Murray came into the night questionable after suffering a calf strain late in Game 4. He came out looking fresher than anyone, hitting three threes and 12 points in the first quarter. 

The Lakers are used to setting the tone early on, and thanks to AD and LeBron, they did so again, especially in the 2nd quarter. 

WE ARE AT THE HALFTIME BREAK AND THE LAKERS LEAD 53-50 WITH TWO QUARTERS TO GO. 

AD has 16 and 9, LeBron has 10, 4 and 7 assists and Reaves has 8. 

Murray leads the Nuggets wit 16, while Jokic has 8, 11 and 4 assists but also has 4 turnovers. 

Gordon was left open in the corner and Jokic hit him for the three ball!

AD dashing down the lane and he gets the lay up to fall. 

Murray off the dribble and fades away from AD for the baseline jumper. 

Porter drives the baseline and finishes with the reverse. 

LeBron with a three ball from the wing off the Davis kick out. 

Jokic had Russell on him, and he spins off one foot and drops the leaner. 

Gordon missed the jam on one end and LeBron tipped it up to Russell who was cherry picking for the easy lay up. 

Jokick turns and lays it up off the entry pass from Murray. 

Hachimura to the line after the foul on KCP and he hits one of two. 

James behind the back to the corner for Hachimura and he drives baseline for the lay up underneath Jokic. 

Murray down the lane and flips it up and over LeBron on the tear drop. 

Reaves pulls up from a step inside the FT line and hits the short jumper. 

Prince sends Porter to the line for three FTs, and he hits all three to end the 12-0 run from LA. 

James finds Davis again for an easy lay up and those two look like they are ready to start taking over. 

Timeout Nuggets with 6:38 to go in the first half. 

LeBron with a jump pass at the top of the key for AD who lays it up for a second straight possession. 

Davis with a jump hook in the paint and gets it to fall. 

LeBron hits the FT out of the timeout. 

LeBron with the offensive board in traffic. He gets the put back to go and the foul! 

James will be at the line after the Nuggets timeout with 7:59 to go in the first half. 

Russell sinks a triple after a second straight assist from Dinwiddie. It's been the rest of the crew doing it to start the game as LeBron and AD ensure the entire team get into the game. 

Jackson drills a three ball from the top of the key!

LeBron hits the mid range jumper off the feed from Dinwiddie. 

MPJ drills another three ball, his second of the night and that's exactly what the Lakers don't want to see. 

Hayes to the line after the foul on Jackson and he hits one of two FTs. 

Russell starts the quarter with a dash to the rack and a lay up down the lane. 

Jackson off the bench and on to the scoreboard with a triple try from the top of the key!

The Nuggets lead after the opening quarter for the first time this series after a 10-0 run to end the first 12 minutes. 

Braun to the line after the foul n Davis and he hits both FTs. 

Jackson off the bench and on to the scoreboard with a triple try from the top of the key!

Jokic finds Porter who steps into a three ball and breaks up the run from LA from the top of the key. 

LeBron fades away from Gordon and banks it off the glass from outside the lane. 

Dinwiddie in the corner and he strokes the three of the feed from Russell. 

Porter finds Gordon pacing the baseline and he throws it down with two hands!

Prince to the line after the foul on Jokic and he hits both FTs. 

Prince missed the three in the corner, but AD was there for the tip in down low. 

Reaves to the line after the foul on Hoiday and he hits both FTs. 

Watson kicks it out for Murray and he drills his third three of the night. This one was from the left wing. 

Murray in the corner for three, and he's got two triples in this first quarter. 

KCP was injured on his missed lay up attempt just a few moments ago. We will keep you posted but he is on the way to the locker room. 

AD hits the elbow jumper off the feed from Vincent. 

KCP missed the lay up on the break, but Jokic was there for the follow up. 

Jokic waltzes down the lane in transition and lays it up over LeBron. 

Timeout Lakers with 6:02 to go in the 1st quarter. 

Reaves into the paint and he lays it off for a streaking Davis who lays it up and in. 

Timeout Nuggets with 7:22 to go in the 1st quarter. 

Reaves heads to the line after the foul on Gordon, and he hits both FTs. 

James with a steal and running the break, he finds AD in stride and he lays it up and in off the break. 

Slip pass from James to Reaves and he finishes off the glass after taking a bump from Jokic. 

The Lakers win the challenge, so the foul is called off and there will be a jump ball at the center circle. 

Murray was fouled by Reaves on a three pointer, but the Lakers are going to challenge the call early in the first quarter. 

LeBron called for a defensive three seconds call, and Murray hits the FT for the first six Nuggets points to start the game. 

Murray was left open on the wing and he strings the three ball! 

AD gets the board off the Russell miss and kicks it to Hachimura for a three ball on the wing!

Murray starts the game off with a runner from outside the lane and his injured calf looked alright on that play. 

WE ARE UNDERWAY FROM DENVER!!!

There was a question before Game 4 as to wether or not Darvin Ham would change up the starting five, but the LA coach stuck with his top guns and it paid off so why changed tonight? It's D-Lo, Reaves, Hachimura, James and AD. 

Give some love for the Nuggets starting five, who haven't just dominated the series, and most of the regular league, but they have stayed healthy. Jamal Murray limped off the court late in Game 4, but he is going to give it a go tonight. Stating his importance to this team would be repeating the obvious, but in a close out game it will be worth keeping an eye on. Murray is joined by KCP, MPJ, Gordon and Jokic. 

Russell rollercoaster 

D’Angelo Russell came back strong in Game 4 and helped the Lakers live to see another day, but he has come under heavy scrutiny for his hot and cold shooting against the Nuggets in this year’s and last year’s playoff games against the Nuggets. Russell started the series going 1/9 from three point range in Game 1, bounced back in Game 2 hitting 7/11 threes in LA’s near win over Denver, went 0-for in Game 3 and even heard boos from the Laker fans from Crypto.com Arena. D-Lo had another bounce back game in Game 4, going 4/8 from downtown, and scoring 21 points in a must win game. There were questions to whether the Lakers PG would even start last game after his struggles during the series, but Darvin Ham stuck with Russell and he delivered to help send the series back to Denver.

Last of LeBron in LA?

The Lakers are on the brink of elimination, which obviously hurts for LA fans, but what should really be worrying them more than anything is the potential end of an era in the City of Angels. LeBron James has a player option to sign with the Lakers for one more year, but tonight we could be seeing LeBron in purple and gold for the final time. LeBron has said he wants to play with his son Bronny, who has entered the NBA Draft, and if the Lakers are knocked out tonight, LeBron will have until the end of June to decide his future. 

The AD show comes to town

Anthony Davis is an easy target to point the finger at when things aren’t going well for the Lakers. Whether it’s injuries, or fourth quarter disappearances he has been in the crosshairs of fans and critics alike, but it’s hard to blame him for the Lakers struggles in this series. He has been spectacular against Nikola Jokic and the Nuggets. He is averaging 30.5 points, 15.8 rebounds and 4 assists in the series, and made the difference in the Lakers Game 4 win. He went down with a wrist injury on Saturday night, but quickly shook it off and came back to finish the game and keep the Lakers season alive. Tonight he comes in to Game 5 as probable, and is more than likely to play in this do or die matchup in the Mile High City.

Joker back in his fortress

The Nuggets have barely had to blink in their last five playoff series dating back to last year’s title run. When you have Nikola Jokic as the anchor of your offense, things can look a little easier than they should be. Nikola has a knack of taking over games when he needs to, but most importantly he knows how to get his other guys involved early in the game. Jokic had 33, 14 and 14 last game and is averaging 29, 15.3 and 10 assists. Somehow the Serbian ups his gam even more in the postseason, and that makes the Nuggets almost unbeatable. Tonight you can almost guarantee he will be at his best as he and the Nuggets look to avoid having to head back to LA for a Game 6. 

Game 4 recap

The Lakers were up against the ropes, looking to stay alive and avoid a second straight sweep against the Denver Nuggets. Like the first three games, they came out swinging and took the early lead against the defending champions. Anthony Davis and LeBron James came out and set the tone early on, but it was the role players that made the difference. LeBron had 30 and Davis posted 25 and 23 rebounds,  but both Austin Reaves and D’Angelo Russell chipped in 21 points each. The difference came in the second half, specifically in the third quarter. The Lakers had been getting crushed coming out of the break, but they protected their 13 point lead in the second half and kept the Nuggets at arms length to stretch the series for at least another game. 

We are live from Mile High

Hello everyone and welcome to Ball Arena where the Nuggets return to their fortress looking to close out the first round series after missing the chance to sweep the Lakers for a second straight season. Tonight Denver are back home where they have been nearly invincible in the postseason dating back to last year. For the Lakers and LeBron, this could be their last chance before an offseason of uncertainty and potential seismic moves that could shape the future of the franchise.

Lakers vs. Nuggets 

The Denver Nuggets are back home and looking to close out the Los Angeles Lakers tonight in a second straight elimination game. Tonight they return home to Ball Arena where they have been nearly unbeatable, and have a chance to close out the Lakers and secure their spot in the next round of the NBA Playoffs. AS English will be with you all night providing live coverage, stats, highlights and analysis of tonight’s game from the Mile High City.