On Tuesday night, the Denver Nuggets demonstrated their dominance on their home turf by securing a victory in Game 1 of the Western Conference finals against the Los Angeles Lakers, with a final score of 132-126.

Nevertheless, achieving this win was far from a walk in the park, as they had to weather a fierce comeback from the Lakers in the second half.

Initially, it appeared that the Nuggets were poised to easily secure the game, having entered halftime with a commanding 72-54 lead.

However, as they had previously demonstrated against the Golden State Warriors in the preceding series, the Lakers exhibited their relentless nature in the second half. With clutch shots and tighter defensive strategies, they made a valiant effort to narrow the gap.

Jamal Murray #27 of the Denver Nuggets jogs up the court during the second quarter against the Los Angeles Lakers in game one of the Western Conference Finals at Ball Arena on May 16, 2023 in Denver, Colorado.  (Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)

In the closing moments of the fourth quarter, Austin Reaves drained a remarkable three-pointer, narrowing the score to 127-124 in favor of Denver. With only 2:18 remaining on the clock, LeBron James aimed to even the score by launching his own three-pointer, hoping to bridge the gap at 129-126. Unfortunately, his shot bounced off the rim, denying the Lakers the opportunity to tie the game.

Throughout the match, the Lakers demonstrated commendable ball control, committing just seven turnovers. However, during a critical possession with seconds left and the team trailing by five points, James lost control of the ball. Nikola Jokic, the runner-up for this season’s MVP title, capitalized on the opportunity and secured possession, effectively sealing the game’s outcome with his successful free throws.

To secure their spot in the NBA finals, the Lakers were fully aware of the necessity to neutralize the formidable two-time MVP champion, Jokic. However, following this defeat, they find themselves compelled to return to the drawing board and reassess their strategies for future success.

Lakers’ Head Coach Provides an Entertaining Response on Strategies to Counter Nuggets’ Nikola Jokic

Nikola Jokic displayed an exceptional performance right from the beginning of the game, maintaining his productivity throughout. During the first half alone, he came close to achieving a triple-double, amassing an impressive 19 points, 16 rebounds, and seven assists.

Similar to his outstanding displays in Games 5 and 6 against the Phoenix Suns during the semifinals, Jokic once again concluded Tuesday night’s game with a triple-double, marking three consecutive games of accomplishing this remarkable feat.

Ultimately, Jokic’s contributions were unparalleled as he concluded the match with an impressive stat line of 34 points, 21 rebounds, and 14 assists, leading the Nuggets in all three categories. Thanks to Jokic’s relentless effort, Denver succeeded in out-rebounding the Lakers by a margin of 47-30 throughout the night.

Anthony Davis #3 of the Los Angeles Lakers shoots the ball over Nikola Jokic #15 of the Denver Nuggets during the second quarter in game one of the Western Conference Finals at Ball Arena on May 16, 2023, in Denver, Colorado.  (Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)

In addition to Nikola Jokic’s impressive performance, Jamal Murray showcased his offensive prowess by scoring 31 points, along with five rebounds, five assists, and three steals. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope also had a notable contribution of 21 points, while Michael Porter Jr. provided a solid 15 points, and Aaron Gordon added 12 points to the team’s tally.

LeBron James came tantalizingly close to achieving a triple-double, displaying his versatility by scoring 26 points, grabbing 12 rebounds, and dishing out nine assists. Meanwhile, Anthony Davis stole the spotlight with an outstanding 40-point performance, shooting 14-of-23 from the field, and securing a double-double with 10 rebounds.

D’Angelo Russell of the Lakers faced obstacles in his attempt to endorse a sports drink following their victory.

Reaves displayed impressive shooting skills once again, making 5-of-9 three-pointers and 7-of-14 field goals, resulting in a total of 23 points and eight assists. Rui Hachimura, coming off the bench, contributed 17 points by efficiently converting 8-of-11 field goals.

Remarkably, both teams demonstrated exceptional shooting accuracy throughout the game. Los Angeles achieved a shooting percentage of 54.8% overall, with a three-point percentage of 45.8%. However, Denver managed to slightly outperform them with a shooting percentage of 54.9% overall and 46.9% from beyond the arc.

Nikola Jokic #15 of the Denver Nuggets dribbles the ball during Round 3 Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals 2023 NBA Playoffs against the Los Angeles Lakers on May 16, 2023, at the Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado.  (Garrett Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images)

Overall, this series is already showing NBA fans that no lead is ever safe and this will be a fun matchup to watch.