Los Angeles Lakers 126 vs 132 Denver Nuggets summary: stats and highlights | NBA Playoffs Game 1

The Denver Nuggets held serve in Game 1 with a narrow win over the Los Angels Lakers, to take an early 1-0 lead in the Western Conference Finals. Nikola Jokic had yet another triple double, leading the Nuggets with 34, 21 and 14 assists in the victory. 

Jokic posts another triple double

Denver lost just seven games at home in the regular season, and had yet to lose a game at Ball Arena in the postseason. On Tuesday night the Lakers found out just how difficult it is to play the two time MVP and a healthy Denver team in the Mile High City. 

From early on, it was evident that the Nuggets had the size advantage on a lot of match ups all over the court. Michael Porter Jr. and Aaron Gordon showed their size and strength early on, while Jamal Murray was stroking it from downtown, but of course it was Nikola Jokic leading the way out of the gate. 

The Serbian had 8 points, 12 rebounds and 5 assists in the first 12 minutes and set the tone in the battle of the big men with Anthony Davis. At halftime the Lakers were getting crushed on the boards, pulling down just 13 rebounds while Denver had 36 going into the break. 

AD’s 40 not enough

Denver’s lead jumped up to 16 in the first quarter, and it stayed in double figures most of the first three quarters thanks to Murray’s hot shooting and Jokic’s all around dominance. 

When the Lakers have struggled during this postseason it’s come as a consequence of Anthony Davis struggling. That wasn’t the case on Tuesday night. Davis had 40 points and 10 rebounds while LeBron chipped in another 26, 12 and 9 assists but it was a change in tactics that almost flipped the game on it’s head in the final 12 minutes. 

Defensive change almost completes comeback

Darvin Ham put Rui Hachimura on Nikola Jokic and essentially shut the big man down for the last quarter. Hachimura shadowing Jokic meant that Anthony Davis could roam around the paint and provided double teams on the Serbian. Jokic scored just three points in the final 12 minutes and the Lakers made a huge comeback to cut a one time 21 point lead to 3 points with less than 2:30 to go in the game. 

The Nuggets were able to hold off the Lakers comeback and take Game 1 at home, but the last quarter sets up a very interesting Game 2 as the Nuggets will have to find a way to counter the defensive tactics put in place by coach Ham late in the game. 

Game 1 was fantastic, and Game 2 promises to be just as entertaining. Tip off from Ball Arena will be Thursday at 8:30 pm ET. 

He won't do it in this postseason, but the clock is ticking on Magic's record. Jokic has 12 triple doubles in the playoffs, six of them have come in this deep run into the postseason. 

Jamal Murray has been absent from the Nuggests title runs for the last few years, but this year he is healthy and carrying this team along with Nikola Jokic. 

Nikola Jokic was absolutely sensational for the first three quarters of the game. He had trouble once Rui Hachimura started defending him and that will something the Nuggets have to take into consideration heading into Game 2. 

Austin Reaves cut the lead to three with back to back triples, but this alley oop to Gordon calmed Denver down and deflated the Lakers comeback bid. 

Porter ended the game with 15 points and shot 3/6 from downtown as the Nuggets hit 15/32 from three point range. 

Murray took a page out of Jokic's book and hit the buzzer beater as the shot clock was winding down. 

LA would cut into the lead thanks to some on the fly adjustments from coach Ham, but Jokic had some more magic left in the tank to end the third. This would be his last field goal of the game as Rui Hachimura gave him all sorts of trouble on the defensive end in the final quarter

We talked about Bruce Brown being a spark off the bench and this is exactly what we were talking about. Look how high he got up for this tomahawk slam. 

Jokic had his 6th triple double of this postseason early in the third quarter and it looked like the Nuggets were going to run away with it in after the halftime break, but the Lakers had an answer. 

Murray wouldn't slow down in the second half, as he went 12/20 from the field in a 31 point night. 

Murray ended the half with 17 after this deep two that stretched the lead to a game high 18 going into the break. 

Porter's size really created some problems for the Lakers who had few answers for him in the first half of Game 1. 

It's not just Jokic that can pass the rock on this team, the Nuggets play quick, fast paced basketball and they love to share the ball as we can see with this transition jam by Michael Porter Jr. 

Bruce Brown is one of the unsung heros for the Denver Nuggets. He provides a huge spark off the bench and had 14 first half points to help build the Nuggets lead. 

Jokic put up numbers in the first quarter that not many are capable of putting up in an entire game. He had complete control of the Lakers and was dominating Anthony Davis to start the game.

In the first half, the Lakers were getting bullied by the bigger, stronger Nuggets player which allowed them to take a 16 point first quarter lead. 

It was Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray who led the way for the Nuggets early on and all throughout the game. Those two are back in the Western Conference Finals together and made sure to take care of Game 1 at home. 

IT'S ALL OVER!!! THE NUGGETS SURVIVE THE LAKERS LATE COMEBACK BID TO TAKE GAME 1 AT BALL ARENA!!

LeBron and Reaves played a two man game but got a little too close together and James ended up losing it. Jokic was fouled with 10.9 to go and he hits one of two FTs at the line. 

Jokic heading to the line after the foul on AD and he hits both FTs with 26.3 to go in the game. Those are his only points of this fourth quarter. 

James at the the line after the the foul on Porter and he hits both FTs with 1:15 to go. 

KCP on the scoop in the paint over AD and that falls with under 2:00 to go!

Reaves with another huge three ball to cut the lead to three!!!

Scrum under the Lakers bucket after AD couldn't get the offensive board, and it turns into an alley oop for Gordon!!!

Gordon to the line after the timeout and he hits one of two FTs with 3:00 on the clock. 

Reaves with an ice cold triple to cut the lead to three points with 3:23 to go in the fourth quarter!!!

Timeout Nuggets who are up against the ropes late in the fourth!

AD with the block on Jokic, and James took it down the court and got fouled. He hits one of two with under 4:00 to go. 

KCP sends Reaves to the line where he hits both FTs. 

Davis at the line after the foul on Jokic and he hits both FTs for 40 on the night with 4:39 to go. 

James to the line after the foul on Murray and he hits one of two FTs. 

Gordon at the line and he hits one of two FTs after the foul on James. 

Davis gets the floater on the baseline to drop and he's got 38 points. 

Murray at the line after the foul on Schroder, and he hits both FTs. 

Timeout Lakers with under 6:00 to go in the fourth quarter!

Schroder joins the three point party in the corner after the kickout from LeBron!

KCP answers back with a three ball and the lead is back to 14 with 6:30 to go. 

Davis out of the timeout and he drills the corner three ball!!! He's got 36 on the night!

Murray backing down the defender and hits a tough fade away in the paint over Walker. 

Timeout Lakers with 7:14 to go in the fourth quarter!

Murray wiggles his way to the cup and finishes the lay up in traffic. 

AD at the line after the foul on Brown and he hits both FTs. 

AD laid off Green in the corner and he punishes him with a three ball!

Davis on the dump down to Hachimura on the baseline slam!

Porter with a tough three in the corner out of the timeout and that stretches the lead back out to double digits. 

Murray's three pointer has been ruled a two on the shot clock buzzer beater, and we have an 8 point game with 10 to go. 

Reaves drills a three ball and the Lakers have cut the lead to single digits with 10 to go in the fourth!!!

Timeout Nuggets!

Hachimura has got to the cup almost anytime he has wanted and he does it again and finishes with a lay up.

Murray ala Jokic, jacked up a deep three with the shot clock winding down and he hit it in the face of LeBron!

Murray ala Jokic, jacked up a deep two with the shot clock winding down and he hit it in the face of LeBron!

James muscles his way to the rim and he gets the bucket ad the foul on Murray! FT is good to complete the three point play. 

Gordon to the line out of the quarter change, but he misses both FTs. 

Jokic jacks a desperation three with the game clock winding down and he drills the fade away as the clock expries!

Murray whistled for the foul, sending Davis to the line and he hits both FTs. He's got 31 on the night. 

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

Hachimura on the lay up and he's had a few mismatches that he's liked tonight. 

Jokic picked up his dribble and hit one of those patented one foot faders over AD. 

Davis takes the foul and hits the jumper over Braun! FT is good to complete the three point play. 

Hachimura on the spin and the finish down low with under 2 to go in the third quarter. 

 Brown with a slash to the rack and finishes with the slam down the lane!

James at the line after the foul on KCP and he hits both FTs. 

Reaves with the three ball but it's just not going to cut it for LA if they can't get some stops

KCP drills back to back three balls and the former Lakers has 12 in the quarter!

James with a lay in after going back to the cup strong. 

Davis with the short range effort, and his offensive numbers are good but he's getting taken to school on the defensive end. 

Jokic drills a three ball, and I forgot to tell you that he already has a triple double. 

James comes out of the timeout and hits the jumper from the elbow. 

KCP with back to back buckets, this time from just outside the lane and the Lakers take a timeout after seeing the lead stretch back to 20. 

Timeout LA with 6:05 to go in the third quarter. 

KCP penetrates in the paint and gets the floater to go. 

Reaves with a pull up from just inside the arc and LA are trying to mount a little run. 

Davis gets back to back mid range jumpers to go. 

Porter Jr. with a long two and he continues to use his size advantage on the perimeter. 

Davis hits the FT line jumper and LA needs to see him get going in this third quarter. 

What a pass from Jokic who put it on a platter for KCP on the lay in. 

Russell with another mid range jumper that falls, but he's the only one scoring in this third quarter. 

Jokic takes a0 dribble from the perimeter and gets the runner off the glass to go. 

Jokic comes out of the timeout and goes into the body of AD and hits the fader .

Russell hits the mid range jumper for his second FG of the quarter. 

DEN calls timeout with 9:34 to go in the third quarter. 

Davis on a slam after LeBron found him on a slash to the bucket!

Murray does it again!!! He's got back to back threes to start the third quarter!

Russell sticks the mid range, but he's got just two FGs on the night and LA needs him. 

Murray drills the three ball and he's got 20 on the night!

James drives to the bucket for the first points out of the halftime break. 

WE ARE BACK FOR THE SECOND HALF OF ACTION IN GAME 1 FROM DENVER!

Murray put the Nugs up by their largest lead of the night, up 18 and he had 17 of 72 first half points. 

This is just beautiful basketball. Look at how they share the ball to find the open dunk on the break. 

LA was trying to cut into the lead, but the Nuggets would extend their lead back over double digits everytime the Lakers went on a little run. 

AD seemed to settle down in the second quarter, but he still needs to be a bit more aggressive on the rebound end. 

Brown came off the bench strong, scoring 14 points in the first half. 

Jokic had 8 points, 12 rebounds, 5 assists and a couple blocks at the end of the first half. Incredible stuff from the Serbian. 

As if the rebounding advantage wasn't enough to tell the size and strength disparity for Denver, Gordon and Porter were having their way with the Lakers defenders. 

Murray got off to a fantastic start, providing the perfect outside threat for Jokic who was drawing all kinds of double teams from LA. 

LeBron got things going for the Lakers, but that was one of the few rebounds that LA grabbed in the first half. 

The Nuggets pulled ahead of the Lakers from the very beginning thanks to Nikola Jokic but also because of their dominance on the glass. They grabbed 36 rebounds to LA's 13. Jokic has 16 of those boards and added another 19 points and 7 assists. Murray has 17 and Brown has 14 off the bench. 

AD leads the Lakers with 18, but has just 2 rebounds. LeBron has 11 and 8 rebounds, but if he doesn't get any help on the glass the Lakers are going to be in trouble in the second half. 

Murray hits an elbow jumper and that will give the Nuggets their largest lead of the night heading into halftime!

Murray answers back with a deep two from the corner. 

Walker in the other corner and he's got a couple three balls to his name tonight. 

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

Davis banging back down low and finishes with the lay in off the feed from Reaves. 

Murray with a one footed runner on the baseline jumper and that falls!

Davis hits the FT line jumper and he's got 16 in the half. 

Porter in the corner off the kickout from KCP and he splashes the three ball win under 2 minutes to go. 

Jokic at the line after the foul on Hachimura and he hits both FTs. 

Reaves on the alley oop after Russell lobbed it up for him. 

Murray with another three ball, he's got a handful of them tonight and the lead is back up to 14.

Hachimura pulls up from the FT line and he sticks the mid range jumper. 

Davis races up the court quickly and he gets an open look from underneath. 

KCP with the steal and some great transition passing leads to a Porter Jr. slam!

Brown going back to the rack and this time he gets the bucket and the foul! FT is good to complete the three point play!

Russell on the board for the first time tonight and he hits the runner off the glass. 

Jokic takes AD off the dribble and finishes with the slam. 

LeBron drags down an offensive board and he finds AD for the jam!

Jokic nails the triple try from the top of the arc after the Gordon offensive rebound!

James at the line after the timeout and he hits one of two FTs. 

Davis with a tough turnaround and jump hook over Jokic. He's in double figures after a slow shooting start. 

Timeout Denver with 7:02 to go in the first half. 

Jokic with the ball fake on Davis and he streaks to the iron for the lay in. 

Davis at the line after the foul on Porter and he hits both FTs. 

Hachimura strings the three from the top of the key with the shot clock winding down!

LeBron gets back to the cup with ease out of the break for the lay up. 

Brown running the break again, he gave it up only to get it back from Gordon for the lay up in transition. He's in double digits off the bench!

Timeout Lakers with 10:12 to go in the first half. 

Brown slashes through the heart of the defense and he gets the lay in to go. 

Vanderbilt fouled Murray before the inbound, and that sends Murray to the line where he hits the FT, and DEN get the ball back. Murray hit the baseline jumper for the unlikely three point play. 

Hachimura with a tough turn around on the baseline to start the quarter. 

We are at the end of the first quarter and it's been all Denver so far. LA look like they are struggling a bit with the Nuggets size, and obviously with Jokic who has 8, 12 and 5 assists. Gordon added another 8 and Brown has 7 off the bench. 

LeBron scored 8  and grabbed 4 rebounds while Davis has 6 points after going 2/7 from the field. 

LeBron taking it back to the block and he hits the leaner from outside the lane with 0.3 on the quarter clock. 

Brown steps into a three ball and drills the triple try! 

LeBron backing down Murray from the block and he takes him right to the cup and finishes with the short shot underneath. 

LeBron back off the bench and he drives down the lane and lay it in off the glass. 

Brown into the lane and he gets the floater to go. 

Timeout Nuggets with 2:23 to go in the first quarter. 

Walker into the game for the first time tonight and he drills a much needed three for LA. 

Jokic draws the double team and releases it to KCP who gets the lay in to drop. 

Reaves found Hachimura who turned and jammed on the defender. 

Gordon to the line after the foul on Hachimura and he hits both FTs. 

Porter missed the three, but Jokic grabbed the offensive board and got the put back. He's got 10 boards already!

Brown off the bench and to the line after the foul on Reaves and he hits both FTs. 

Davis answers back with a jump hook in the lane, and he's off to a night start, but he's the only one for LA. 

Jokic drills the mid range jumper from the elbow. 

The shot clock was winding down and Reaves had to jack a three which he banked off the glass!

Jokic with the tip in after the missed lay up from Murray. 

Gordon takes Reaves off the dribble and goes right at the rack and over Reaves for the slam. 

Murray scoops the rebound off the LeBron miss and goes coast to coast for the transition lay in. 

TImeout Lakers with 7:14 to go in the first quarter. 

Porter with a long two from the wing and he's got 5 quick points. 

Davis at the line after the foul on Gordon and he hits both FTs. 

Murray drills the triple from the top of the key and the Nuggets starters have all scored in the opening four minutes of the game. 

Davis gets on the board for the first time with a lay in off the glass. 

Jokic on the follow up off his own miss and he tips it in for his first points. 

Porter Jr. pulls up over Reaves and he drills the three ball. Denver are off to a hot start from the field. 

Schroder was left open in the corner and hit the three ball after getting ejected in Game 6 vs. GS. 

Jokic with a fantastic pass to Gordon and Air Gordon has a couple quick buckets. 

KCP gets into the paint and pulls up with a short jumper. 

Gordon gets his own offensive board and the put back in the lane with the floater. 

LeBron picks up a long offensive rebound and gets the reverse lay up for the game's first bucket. 

GAME 1 OF THE WESTERN CONFERENCE FINALS IS UNDERWAY FROM BALL ARENA. 

Dennis Schroder got the start in the last two games against the Warriors, and it worked wonders for Darvin Ham and the Lakers. LA's coach is going with the same starting five that got the Lakers their huge wins in Game 5 and 6 of the last series. 

Jamal Murray was listed as questionable coming into Game 1 due to a non COVID illness, but he is in the starting five to begin the series. He has been the difference maker this season, after battling injuries in the last two seasons. Jokic is the anchor, but Murray has been the spark that has turned this team into a real title contender. 

New look Lakers 

The Lakers underwent one of the most dramatic midseason make overs we have ever seen. This was a team that was at one time slumming with the likes of the Houston Rockets and the San Antonio Spurs at the bottom of the Western Conference standings. Offloading Russell Westbrook was maybe the most important thing that Rob Palinka did, but it wasn’t just getting rid of the former MVP of the league, it was who he replaced him with. D’Angelo Russell, Troy Brown Jr., and Jared Vanderbilt have been invaluable alongside Rui Hachimura. All of these guys came in at the middle of the season and all of them are having huge impacts in the playoffs. 

7 seed in the Conference Finals

We are in the midst of witnessing history, as the Lakers go where only one seven seed has ever gone before. The 1987 Seattle Supersonics ended the regular season with a losing record and squeaked into the playoffs as the 7 seed setting up a first round match up with the Dallas Mavericks. After beating the second seeded Mavs, they faced up with the favorites to win the NBA title that season, the Houston Rockets. After defeating Hakeem Olajwon and the Rockets, they met the Lakers in the Western Conference Finals, but would end up getting swept by LA which means if the Lakers win just one game, it will be the most successful playoff run by a 7 seed in the history of the league. LA will have their sights set on much higher goals.

Nuggets return to Mile High

There have been no worries of consistency for Nikola Jokic in this series, this playoffs, or any of his time he has been in Denver. He is a juggernaut wrapped in a Rubik’s cube. He showed just how unstoppable he can be this season, finshing just .2 assists away from averaging a triple double, and was so close to winning his third straight MVP title. This post season his is averaging 30.7 points, 12.8 rebounds and 9.7 assists, registering five triple doubles in the 11 games the Nuggets have played this postseason. He also had a 53 points, 11 assists game in a loss to the Suns in Game 4. 

LA looking to take home court in Denver

Anthony Davis has been the key to the Lakers success this postsesaon. When he is consistent he is one of the best players in the league, but consistency has been hard to come by for the Lakers big man. We saw that strange stat for the first 10 games of LA’s playoff run where he would have terrific performances in the odd numbered games, but then suffer a big let down in even numbered games. That trend seemed to come to a halt at the end of the series against the Warriors when he put up 23 and 8 in Game 5 and 17 and 20 in the close out Game 6. He doesn’t have to put up 40 to be great, but he does have to rebound and impose his presence around the paint on the defensive side of the ball. 

How they got here: Lakers

To say the Lakers have had a bumpy season would be the understatement of the year. They started the campaign 2-10 and looked destined to miss the the postseason and even the Play-In Tournament. Rob Palinka was the MVP of the regular season for a team that was in desperate need of a change. They offloaded a handful off players including Russell Westbrook, and replaced them with guys like D’Angelo Russell, Jared Vanderbilt and Troy Brown Jr. Since then the Lakers have been the hottest team in the league, but still had to get through Minnesota Timberwolves who took them to OT in the Play-In Game.

They matched up with the second seed Memphis Grizzlies in the first round and the Golden State Warriors in the second round. They took care of both teams in six games, and now have a chance to get back to the Finals for the first time since the Bubble. 

How they got here Nuggets 

The Nuggets looked like the best team in the West for essentially the whole season. In fact, they looked like the best team in the league for the entire season, but ended up having a mini slump after setting a franchise win record heading into the All-Star Break. The Milwaukee Bucks jumped them in the East for best record in the league, but they still wrapped up the top seed in their respective conference, earning a match up with the Minnesota Timberwolves who beat the Pelicans to earn the 8 seed.

They cruised past the T’Wolves and that set up a match up with what everyone though were the new powerhouses in the the West, the Phoenix Suns. Denver took care of the Suns in six games, as Nikola Jokic proved that he was capable of leading his team past Kevin Durant, Devin Booker and Chris Paul almost all on his own setting up a rematch of the Conference Finals in the Bubble in which the Lakers downed the Nuggets 

We are live from Ball Arena

Hello everyone and welcome to the Mile High City where the top seed has held serve through the first few rounds of the NBA Playoffs and will now square off against the seventh seeded Los Angeles Lakers. The Nuggets have looked like the best team in the West since the start of the season, but the Lakers have looked like the most dangerous team since the end of All-Star break. The unstoppable force of the Lakers will now take on the unmovable object in the Nuggets. Game 1 tips off in less than an hour. 

Lakers vs. Nuggets Game 1

Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals tips off tonight from Denver as the Nuggets host the Los Angeles Lakers in a rematch of the Conference Finals in the Bubble for three years ago. AS English will be with you all night providing live coverage, stats, highlights and analysis of tonight’s series opener from Ball Arena.