The Denver Nuggets can get closer to that elusive milestone on Saturday night when they play Game 3 of the Western Conference finals against the Los Angeles Lakers.
Injury Update Denver Nuggets – Los Angeles Lakers
Although two-time league MVP Nikola Jokic is having a historic postseason, teammate Jamal Murray is the main reason why the Denver Nuggets are only two wins away from reaching the NBA Finals for the first time.
Murray’s electric fourth-quarter performance spurred Denver’s 108-103 victory on Thursday, giving the Nuggets a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven series.
He scored 23 of Denver’s 32 points in the fourth quarter on 6-of-7 shooting, including four 3-pointers, as the Nuggets defeated the Lakers. Murray scored a game-high 37 points.
Murray struggled to make five of 17 shots in the first three quarters, and Denver trailed by three points heading into the fourth.
Murray is averaging 34 points per game in this series. He had 31 points in Denver’s 132-126 triumph in Game 1.
Meanwhile, Nikola Jokic finished with 23 points, 17 rebounds, and 12 assists for his seventh triple-double of the postseason and 13th of his career.
Jokic had five mistakes for the second game in a row and was inefficient from the field by his standards, but he still recorded his fourth straight triple-double and his seventh of the playoffs.
This playoffs, the former MVP is averaging 30.4 points, 13.8 rebounds, 10.2 assists, and 1.2 steals in 38.4 minutes over 13 outings and shows no signs of slowing down.
One thing that irritates the Nuggets is that the hardship of the seventh-seeded Lakers continues to dominate the national story, rather than the top-seeded club that has beaten them twice so far.
Los Angeles will have to make a lot of changes if it wants to make a run in the series.
And, in LeBron James’ opinion, Game 3 must end in a Lakers victory.
James injured his ankle late in Game 2, but he claims it is minor and that he will play on Saturday.
James is still labeled as probable due to right foot discomfort that has plagued him throughout the playoffs. In game 2, James had 22 points, 10 assists, nine rebounds, four steals, and two blocks.
Anthony Davis scored 18 points on 4-for-15 shooting in Game 2 after scoring 40 in Game 1.
According to Ryan Ward of LakersNation.com, Davis (foot) is expected to play in Game 3 against the Nuggets on Saturday.
Davis has been listed as probable for the whole postseason for the same reason, so his fate for Game 3 isn’t in serious doubt.
Darvin Ham, the Lakers’ coach, believes the series is still winnable because his team is 6-0 at home in the postseason.
In addition, Austin Reaves (22.5 points per game) and Rui Hachimura (19.0 points per game) are doing admirably for Los Angeles in the series.
Injury Report Lakers
| PLAYER | INJURY | STATUS |
| LeBron James | Foot | Game Time Decision |
| Mo Bamba | Ankle | Expected to be out until at least May 22 |
| Anthony Davis | Foot | Game Time Decision |
Injury Report Nuggets
| PLAYER | INJURY | STATUS |
| Collin Gillespie | Lower Leg | Out for the season |
