The Nugget Knockout 🥊

05/23/2023

By: Jeff Yoder

Jokic, Nuggets Make History With Lakers Sweep Despite LeBron James’ 40-Point Last-Ditch Effort in Game 4 (113-111) — James Mulls Retirement

Down goes the king… The Denver Nuggets are heading to their first NBA Finals in franchise history after completing the sweep of the L.A. Lakers in the Western Conference Finals on Monday night. LeBron James (40-10-9) played his best game of the postseason with his team’s backed into a corner. LBJ had 21 in the first quarter and 31 in the first half, but the Nuggets rallied from a 15-point halftime deficit behind another triple-double from Nikola Jokic (30-14-13). Jamal Murray and Aaron Gordon came up with the stop against James on the final possession to seal the win (113-111) and Jokic earned the West Finals MVP award.

LeBron’s Historic Effort: James’ 40-point Game 4 made him the oldest player in NBA history (38 years, 173 days) with a 40-point game in the playoffs. The Lakers now enter an offseason full of question marks with expiring contracts, and James added some cryptic comments mulling his basketball future in the post-game press conference.

Nikola’s Historic Nuggets: Jokic is now averaging a triple-double in the playoffs — 29.9 ppg, 13.2 rpg, 10.1 apg — to lead Denver to all sorts of historic nuggets (pun intended). Jokic’s eighth triple-double of the playoffs is the most in a single postseason run in NBA history, breaking Wilt Chamberlain’s 56-year-old record. It’s also the first series sweep in franchise history and the first trip to the NBA Finals.

Western Conference Finals

Gm 4: Nuggets def. Lakers (113-111) | DEN Wins (4-0)

Top Game 4 Performers

L. James (LAL): 40 points, 10 rebounds, 9 assists

N. Jokic (DEN): 30 points, 14 rebounds, 13 assists

J. Murray (DEN): 25 points, 5 assists

A. Davis (LAL): 21 points, 14 rebounds, 3 blocks

Tonight (Eastern Conference Finals)

Gm 4: Celtics at Heat (8:30 pm ET) | MIA Leads (3-0)

SI: Nikola Jokic Breaks Playoff Triple-Double Record to Lead Nuggets to NBA Finals

CBS Sports: LeBron James Seemingly Hints at Retirement With Cryptic Press Conference Quote After Game 4

Photo: Wally Skalij / Getty Images