THE Denver Nuggets faced the Los Angeles Lakers for the third and final time this season on Saturday. Denver, which won the previous two meetings, could offer its rivals another sweep. The Nuggets haven’t lost to the Lakers since December 2022, a stretch that included a 4-0 victory in last year’s Western Conference Finals.
LeBron James was the biggest story before this tantalizing showdown. The four-time MVP, who had 39,991 career points, needed nine more to become the first player to reach 40,000 points in that category. James has failed to reach the top 10 on just nine occasions in his 21-year career, so the celebration was likely taking place during the first half.
James didn’t score until 6:20 of the first quarter, but Los Angeles’ offense buzzed. Rui Hachimura, Anthony Davis and Austin Reaves led the charge, combining for 23 points to lead the Lakers to a 33-27 lead.
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LeBron James finally reached the historic milestone with 10:38 in the second quarter. He did so by escaping Michael Porter’s defense to score a left-handed layup. James became the first player to reach 40,000 career points with his bucket.
Nikola Jokic and Michael Porter Jr. led the Denver Nuggets with 16 and 15 points, respectively. Jamal Murray, who played through an ankle injury, had seven points. The defending champions trailed 66-58 after the end of the first 24 minutes.
