For the first time in history, the Denver Nuggets have reached the NBA Finals. This historic achievement for the Colorado franchise was accomplished on Monday (22) after a 113-111 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers, securing the title of the Western Conference at the Crypto.com Arena.
With this win, the Nikola Jokic-led team achieved their fourth consecutive victory and completed a “sweep” in the series, winning 4-0.
After three consecutive losses and on the brink of elimination, the Lakers finally lived up to the expectations of their fans. With a dominant start, the home team stifled the momentum of Nikola Jokic and his team and took control of the game, leading 73-58 at halftime.
The path to this substantial advantage was paved by LeBron James, who scored 31 points in the first half, including one of the most incredible baskets of his career, ensuring an unprecedented lead for the team before the halftime break in the series.
After halftime, a 36-16 run on the scoreboard reversed the advantage in favor of the Nuggets for the first time in the game and caused anxiety in the Los Angeles stands. With a new scenario established in the second half, the Denver team opened up a five-point lead in another historic performance by Jokic, who surpassed Wilt Chamberlain with the most triple-doubles in a single postseason.
After having their lead overturned, the Lakers entered the final quarter against the Nuggets with the game tied in Los Angeles. With less than a minute remaining, the score was still tied. It was at this moment that Jokic took responsibility to secure the victory, the Western Conference title, and the historic berth for the Colorado franchise.
The Serbian player also left the Crypto.com Arena with the MVP trophy for the conference finals.
