Los Angeles Lakers Get Swept By Denver Nuggets In NBA Western Conference Finals

The Denver Nuggets ended their one-sided matchup over LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers in the Western Conference Finals with a 113-111 victory in Game 4 on Monday night (May 22). The Nuggets will face off against the winner of the Eastern Conference Finals series between the Miami Heat and Boston Celtics in the NBA Finals starting June 1.

The top-seeded Nuggets’ series-clinching win completes their first ever four-game sweep in the NBA Playoffs and earned the team their first trip to the NBA Finals in franchise history. Nikola Jokic led the Nuggets with 30 points, 14 rebounds, 13 assists and three blocks and scored the final go-ahead basket that put his team up 113-111 and ultimately won the game.

The triple-double was the MVP-runner-up’s third of the Western Conference Finals and his eighth overall this postseason, breaking Wilt Chamberlain’s mark of seven triple-doubles in a single playoff run. Other big contributors for the Nuggets were guard Jamal Murray, who scored 25 points, forward Aaron Gordon, who had 22 points, six rebounds and five assists, Michael Porter Jr. with 15 points and 10 rebounds, and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope with 13 points.

James led the Lakers with a strong performance, netting 40 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists, including a playoff career-high for points in a half (31). However, the NBA’s All-Time leading scorer’s efforts were not enough to extend the series, as James had two opportunities to tie or take the lead in the final seconds of the game, but missed both attempts. The Lakers held a comfortable 73-58 lead over the Nuggets entering halftime, but were outscored by Denver 36-16 in the third quarter, reversing the momentum in Denver’s favor.

The Denver Nuggets had previously reached the Western Conference Finals four times (2020, 2009, 1985, 1978), which all ended in losses to the Lakers. In the Lakers’ previous playoff matchup against the Nuggets, LeBron and the Lakers defeated Denver 4-1 to reach the NBA Finals, where they defeated the Miami Heat 4-2 to win the franchise’s 17th championship and LeBron’s fourth of his career.

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