After struggling all game, Jamal Murray hit the game-winning shot to lift Denver past Los Angeles.
DENVER — It took a while, but ‘Playoff Mal’ finally showed up and brought the house down.
Denver Nuggets guard Jamal Murray had been struggling all night Monday in Game 2 against the Los Angeles Lakers. It was all erased when he hit the game-winning shot as time expired to send the sold-out Ball Arena crowd into a frenzy.
The shot of the season completed an improbable comeback that erased a 20-point deficit to extend Denver’s winning streak over Los Angeles to 10 consecutive games.
It also gives the Nuggets a 2-0 lead in the playoff-opening series, which shift to Los Angeles for the next two matchups.
Murray’s winning shot came after LeBron James misfired from long range with 16 seconds left and the game tied at 99.
Michael Porter Jr. grabbed the rebound with 13 seconds left and the Nuggets didn’t call a timeout.
Instead, Murray took the ball to the right side with Anthony 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 finished with 20 points, including 14 in the fourth quarter, and Nikola Jokic posted a triple-double with 27 points, 20 boards and 10 assists. Porter added 22 points and Aaron Gordon 14 for Denver.
Davis led the Lakers with 32 points, James had 26 and D’Angelo Russell added 23 with a career playoff-high seven 3s.
The Lakers led 59-44 at halftime and stretched their advantage to 68-48 two minutes into the second half.
Game 3 is scheduled for 8 p.m. (MT) Thursday night at Crypto.com Arena.
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