WCF Nuggets v Lakers | Game 3 Recap

Nuggets 119 @ Lakers 108 | May 20th, 2023 | Crypto.com Arena | Los Angeles, CA | DEN leads series 3-0

Nuggets Duo Outlasts Lakers’ ...Again.

The highly anticipated Game 3 of the 2023 Western Conference Finals did not disappoint. The game saw the Los Angeles Lakers take on the Denver Nuggets in a nail-biting matchup at Crypto.com Arena. Despite being the 1-seed and the Lakers being the 7-seed, literally no one, not the entire ESPN broadcast who chose the Lakers, or Vegas who had Denver as an almost 200- point underdog simply because they were on the road.

The Lakers got off to a decent start, getting to within a morally winning three points by halftime thanks to the stellar play of LeBron James and Anthony Davis. However, the Nuggets came out strong in and took that three-point lead into halftime, with Jamal Murray going for 30 points in the first half. If you listened to Mike Wilbon of ESPN though Murray was too good and although he said Murray was great, stated he simply couldn't sustain that pace. To be fair, he didn't sustain a 60-point pace, he still ended the game with a game-high 37 points.

In the end, it was the Nuggets who came out on top where it matters, on the scoreboard, winning by double-digits 119-108. Both James and Davis finished with double-double’s. James had 23 points, and 12 assists, while Davis added 28 points and 18 rebounds. For the Nuggets, besides the early Murray Flurry, Jokic finally didn't have a triple- double with a slash of 24 pts/6 rebs/8 assists, but it wasn't enough to overcome the Lakers' balanced moral victories putting them down 0-3 IRL but up 3-0 in the minds of the Lakers fans that left early. You know how that L.A. traffic be like, right?

The win gives the Nuggets a commanding 3-0 lead in the series, and I'm obviously being heavily facetious. Because why not, even Coach Malone had some fun in the post-game when talking about how Jokic told coach to let him, and Murray run the floor through their two-man game and they "milked" it the entire second half. He then quipped "Coach Jokic did great tonight" It's all fun in Nuggets Nation right now with a potential sweep looming on Monday evening.

The narrative has been that the Nuggets are a "boring" basketball team. Are these people not watching the same game? I'm honestly unable to fathom how you can watch this team and not be entertained if you like basketball, not love, just like. Murray and Jokic are the most unselfish superstars in the league with a supporting cast that can impact a game like Kentavious Caldwell- Pope dropping 17 points and Michael Porter Jr. having a double-double with 14 points and 10 rebounds.

The Lakers, on the other hand, seem to be struggling to find their footing consistently. Despite having LeBron James and Anthony Davis leading the charge, they have been unable to capitalize on their talent and experience. If they want to make a comeback in this series, they need to step up their game and play with more intensity and urgency. While doing something that has never been done, come back from that 3-0 deficit.

As for the Nuggets, they have proved their critics wrong and shown that they are a force to be reckoned with. Not only do they have one of the best duos in the league with Jokic and Murray, but their role players have stepped up and contributed in crucial moments. We have yet to mention Bruce Brown giving 15 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists. If you have an honest assessment and want to sum this series up in a single storyline, you will say despite the Lakers giving their absolute every fiber of their being to keep things close, they have come up short at

every turn. The pure raw talent of James and Davis have kept the Lakers in each game, their limited depth and age have been exposed by a much spryer and deeper Denver roster.

The best most pundits have come up with is replacing D'Angelo Russell because, as they like to point out, he has had a double-digit negative plus/minus the entire series with Dennis Schroder. Who has had a negative plus/minus against Jamal Murray the entire series. As a “Murray Stopper”. Schroder nearly fouled out with 5 personals because of his inability to stop Murray without fouling.

The Lakers have yet to make an adjustment Denver cannot counter. There have been times, like where the Lakers took the lead once between the early first and mid-fourth quarter after clawing to tie it twice in the second and third. But as Jokic told Coach Malone, just let him and Murray run the court and they will make the right decision. Not just occasionally, but almost every time.

So many scream “basketball is a game of runs”, then when Lakers go on a run, they act like the Nuggets didn’t force them into a simple tie by a 18-9, or 12-0 run of their own. It’s almost as if they are convinced because they said pre-game the Lakers were going to dominate that is what must happen. The Nuggets are a dominate 1-seed in a playoff that has seen a 7 and 8-seed make the conference finals in each conference. They should be the favorite in every game, yet as I sit here typing this the Nuggets are +135 underdogs for game four. I say keep fueling the smelter the Denver Nuggets are using to wilt Lebron James and this spent Lakers squad.

Will the Nuggets complete the sweep and advance to the NBA Finals? Or will the Lakers mount a comeback and force a Game 5? Only time will tell, but one thing is for sure, this has been an exciting series to watch.