The LA Lakers hosted the defending champion Denver Nuggets at Crypto.com Arena on Saturday night. This was the third and final clash of the season between the two teams. The Nuggets won the first two games, but the third was special regardless of the outcome, due to LeBron James on the brink of history.
“The King” was nine points away from becoming the first player in NBA history to score 40,000 points. It’s an incredible feat considering he’s already the all-time top scorer, having broken Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s record, which had stood for 40 years.
This is an important match for both teams. The Nuggets look to extend their winning streak to six and close the gap with the OKC Thunder and Minnesota Timberwolves in the standings. The Lakers, meanwhile, want to maintain their momentum heading into the final stretch of the season.
•
The five best moments from the Denver Nuggets vs. LA Lakers game
#5 Anthony Davis catches an alley-oop from Austin Reaves
Anthony Davis has always been criticized every time the LA Lakers face the Denver Nuggets. He got the game going early with help from Austin Reaves, who threw an alley-oop lob to the nine-time All-Star.
Davis caught the lob and threw it for the alley-oop slam over Nikola Jokic. The shot tied the game at 4-4, but the Lakers rode the momentum to take the lead early in the first half.
Read also: What happened to Jamal Murray? Latest injury update as Nuggets guard leaves Heat game (Feb. 29)
#4 Rui Hachimura starts the game hot for the LA Lakers
As mentioned above, the LA Lakers had momentum in the first half thanks to their defense. Another reason was Rui Hachimura, who started hot in the first half and took advantage of the mismatch against Jamal Murray to take the lead early.
Hachimura had nine points in the first quarter, with the Lakers having a six-point lead heading into the second period. The Japanese star has been playing well since the All-Star break and has been a vital part of the team.
Read also: Is Nikola Topic related to Nikola Jokic? Exploring the potential connection between the two hoops
#3 Nikola Jokic ends his personal race with a circus shot
There’s a reason why Nikola Jokic is the favorite to win the MVP award for a third time. Jokic had his own personal score in the third quarter to help the Denver Nuggets recover from a double-digit deficit against the LA Lakers.
“The Joker” scored 13 straight points for the Nuggets in three minutes to close out the game. Denver even took the lead, with Jokic finishing his run with an insane Sombor Shuffle on Davis.
#2 Nikola Jokic’s alley-oop to Aaron Gordon seals the game
The Denver Nuggets proved why they are the defending champions by taking care of business in the fourth quarter. The Nuggets controlled the game when it mattered most, going on a run with less than three minutes remaining, turning a two-point deficit into a nine-point lead.
Nikola Jokic sealed the match with less than 40 seconds remaining by knocking back Austin Reaves. It looked like he took a floater, but it was a pass to Aaron Gordon, who threw the ball and one after a LeBron James foul. The shot sealed a 124-114 victory over the LA Lakers.
No. 1 LeBron James scores his 40,000th career point
Regardless of the outcome of the game, LeBron James becoming the founding member of the 40,000 point club was always going to be the No. 1 play of the game and the day. He scored the historic two points early in the second quarter against Michael Porter Jr.
“The King” grabbed Porter, who had no chance to stop the powerful spinning move. The four-time MVP finished the game with a tough layup against MPJ’s outstretched arms. Fans inside Crypto.com Arena applauded the shot and gave him a standing ovation after a timeout was called.
