Nuggets stun Lakers in Game 2 on Jamal Murray’s buzzer-beater

DENVER — The Lakers gave the Denver Nuggets as good of a shot as they’ve had over the last 16 months on Monday night.

But Jamal Murray had the best one of the night for the Nuggets, sinking a 15-foot step-back jumper at the buzzer over Anthony Davis’ outstretched right arm as the Nuggets wiped out a 20-point second-half deficit to stun the Lakers, 101-99, for a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven first-round playoff series.

“Jamal Murray hit a tough shot,” Lakers coach Darvin Ham said. “Fading away baseline, to his right. A.D., outstretched arm, great contest. Kid hit a tough shot.”

The Nuggets didn’t lead for the entire second half and hadn’t led since 5-3 in the first quarter. But the reigning NBA champions, as they have done in their 10 consecutive victories over the Lakers, won the clutch minutes when it mattered most, outscoring the Lakers 32-20 in the fourth quarter.

“We know they’re a great offensive team,” Lakers star LeBron James said. “We know they’re going to get into a rhythm at some point. We know they’re gonna make runs, especially on their home floor. We just have to withstand them. And we did.

“Obviously, we gave up a 20-point lead and that’s unfortunate. But 20-point leads in this league [are] not safe, especially because it’s a defending champion. We gotta do better with that, but we got our chances.”

The series shifts to Los Angeles for Game 3 on Thursday night at Crypto.com Arena.

“Just gotta focus on Game 3,” Davis said. “We’ve shown that we’re more than capable. We have stretches where we just don’t know what we’re doing on both ends of the floor. And those are the ones that cost us. So we have two days to get it right and come ready to win Game 3 on Thursday.”

Just like in Game 1, the Lakers started strong behind efficient two-way play. The offense was organized and got what they wanted out of their sets while also pushing the pace in transition when the opportunities were there.

The Lakers also made a significant defensive change, giving Davis the Nikola Jokic assignment defensively after Rui Hachimura primarily defended Jokic in Game 1.

The adjustment paid off early, with Davis holding his own against the two-time league MVP.

“We played a solid basketball game defensively through three quarters,” Ham said. “That’s a tough team. You got to come with it. You can’t take any possession off.”

Davis (32 points on 14-for-19 shooting and 11 rebounds) was also aggressive in attacking Jokic offensively, scoring 10 first-quarter points and compiling 24 by halftime, helping the Lakers open a 59-44 lead at the intermission.

D’Angelo Russell (23 points) bounced back from a frustrating Game 1 and made six of his playoff career-high seven 3-pointers before halftime as well.

“He had a bounce-back game,” Davis said of Russell. “Came out, shot the ball extremely well. We’re gonna need the same thing in Game 3.”

The Lakers targeted Jokic as a primary defender and Murray as a help defender in LeBron James-Davis pick-and-rolls to start the third, leading to a pair of Davis and-one layups over Murray and an Austin Reaves 3-pointer to that extended the lead to 68-48 two minutes into the second half.

But the Nuggets adjusted, moving Jokic off Davis and onto Hachimura and putting Aaron Gordon on Davis.

The move helped neutralize the James-Davis pick-and-roll attack. And the Lakers’ offense as a whole. The Lakers scored just 15 points over the next 15½ minutes, which helped the Nuggets chip away and get within 83-79.

The Lakers scored just 31 points in the final 22 minutes, shooting 12 for 33 from the field (4 for 15 from behind the arc).

“We got great looks,” Davis said. “We missed. Still tried to do what we were doing before with the ball screens, putting Jokic in ball screens. It was working for us. And we didn’t score.”

And Davis’ foul trouble (five for the game) allowed Jokic to get going offensively (27 points, 20 rebounds, 10 assists).

James (26 points, 12 assists, eight rebounds) made a pair of 3-pointers to push the Lakers’ lead to 89-81 with less than six minutes left.

But the Nuggets kept responding, with Michael Porter Jr.’s 3-pointer tying the score at 95-all with 1:15 left.

The Lakers got back to running their organized offense down the stretch, leading to Russell and James making layups on back-to-back possessions for a 99-97 lead.

But Murray, who scored 14 of his 20 points in the fourth quarter on 6-for-8 shooting after an abysmal start (3 for 16), made a pull-up two-pointer to tie the game at 99, before hitting the game-winner.

Murray’s winning shot came after James misfired from long range with 16 seconds left and the score tied.

Porter grabbed the rebound with 13 seconds left and the Nuggets didn’t call a timeout.

Instead, Murray took the ball to the right baseline with Davis guarding him, stepped back and swished the basket just as the buzzer sounded. Both Murray and Davis fell into the Nuggets’ bench as the sellout crowd’s roar shook Ball Arena.

Murray didn’t even see the biggest basket of his career. At least not live, he didn’t.

“I just lost my balance and fell. I think A.D. was in my way or somebody was in my way and I just heard everybody scream and that’s how I knew it went in,” said Murray, who was mobbed by his teammates.

Porter added 22 points and Aaron Gordon 14 for Denver, which made all seven of its field goal attempts and all three free throws over the final 4:24.

“Protect home,” James said. “That’s where my mindset goes. And obviously, the only game that matters now is Game 3 and how we can get better. How we can figure this team out. Game 3 is where my mindset is.”

INSANE FINAL MINUTE IN DENVER. #PLAYOFFMODE IN FULL EFFECT. pic.twitter.com/60cuQJYcUu

— NBA (@NBA) April 23, 2024

Anthony Davis: "We have stretches where we don't know what we're doing on both ends of the floor… Just got to get it right on Thursday." pic.twitter.com/4agots9D6L

— Spectrum SportsNet (@SpectrumSN) April 23, 2024

Darvin Ham: “It stings. Remember this feeling as we take it back home to LA. We got to give them that same feeling in Game 3.” pic.twitter.com/y38EhizYsh

— Spectrum SportsNet (@SpectrumSN) April 23, 2024

"I don't understand what's going on in the replay center, to be honest… It makes no sense to me… Then I just saw what happened with the Sixers/Knicks game too, what are we doing?" – LeBron James pic.twitter.com/7OWLmuf8jn

— Spectrum SportsNet (@SpectrumSN) April 23, 2024

Austin Reaves on the difference down the stretch and the Lakers' mindset following tonight's loss. pic.twitter.com/siLtSwRVqb

— Spectrum SportsNet (@SpectrumSN) April 23, 2024

D'Angelo Russell speaks about the officiating, what was working for him tonight and the mindset heading into Game 3. pic.twitter.com/jOVvEtpJZe

— Spectrum SportsNet (@SpectrumSN) April 23, 2024

ABSOLUTELY. UNREAL.

JAMAL. MURRAY. https://t.co/qZ80SJGCqk pic.twitter.com/mmaRYBWvgJ

— NBA (@NBA) April 23, 2024