The Denver Nuggets suffered an In-N-Out first quarter for the second straight game against the Los Angeles Lakers in their Western Conference playoff series on Tuesday night at Ball Arena.
Nikola Jokic recorded a double-double in the first quarter with 10 points and 10 rebounds, but the Nuggets struggled with their shooting, making just 9 of 25 shots from the field and trailing 28-24 after the opening period.
Anthony Davis was dominant for the Lakers in the first half, scoring 24 points on 11-of-12 shooting from the field. He also had six assists as the Lakers took a 57-45 lead into halftime.
The Nuggets fought back in the third quarter, outscoring the Lakers 24-15 to cut the deficit to 72-69 heading into the fourth quarter. Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr. hit key shots down the stretch for the Nuggets, including a game-tying 3-pointer by Porter Jr. with 1:15 remaining in the game.
Murray then hit the game-winning shot at the buzzer to give the Nuggets a 97-95 victory and tie the series at 1-1. Murray finished with 21 points, while Porter Jr. added 18 points off the bench.
Davis led the Lakers with 31 points and 12 rebounds, but it wasn’t enough to overcome the Nuggets’ late-game rally.
