Murray sinks shot at the buzzer as Nuggets take 2-0 lead over Lakers
Cavaliers outlast Magic
DENVER, April 23, (AP): Jamal Murray didn’t even see the biggest basket of his career. At least not live, he didn’t.
Murray swished a step-back 15-footer over Anthony Davis at the buzzer Monday night, giving the Denver Nuggets a stunning 101-99 win over the Los Angeles Lakers and capping a comeback from a 20-point second-half deficit.
Murray tumbled into the Nuggets’ bench along with Davis just as his shot fluttered the net and the roar from the crowd shook Ball Arena.
“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 after his bucket gave the reigning NBA champions their 10th consecutive win over the Lakers.
More importantly, it gave Denver a 2-0 lead in their Western Conference series that shifts to Los Angeles for Game 3 Thursday night.
Murray missed 13 of his first 16 shots and was easily the most flustered, frazzled and frustrated of all his teammates when it appeared the Nuggets would lose to the Lakers for the first time in 494 days.
Nuggets coach Michael Malone chose not to call a timeout after Michael Porter Jr. grabbed the rebound off LeBron James’ missed 3-pointer with 13 seconds left and the game knotted up at 99.
Murray faked like he was going to take a 3-pointer, got A.D. to close and then beat him to his spot along
BASKETBALL
the right baseline for the clear look.
Nikola Jokic said Murray “made the tough shots today and he missed the easy ones. It was that kind of game.”
Asked to go though that final sequence, Davis demurred, saying simply, “Jamal Murray made a shot,” then standing up, dropping the mic - and not figuratively - and walking off from the postgame podium.
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, including six in the first half to help the Lakers build a 59-44 lead at the break.
The Lakers stretched their advantage to 68-48 two minutes into the second half and they still led by 10 entering the fourth quarter.
That, they did, finally tying it at 95-all on Porter’s 3-pointer with 1:15 left before the frenzied final minute.
Cavaliers 96, Magic 86
In Cleveland, Donovan Mitchell scored 23 points, Jarrett Allen had 20 rebounds and the Cleveland Cavaliers outlasted the Orlando Magic 96-86 to take a 2-0 lead in their firstround Eastern Conference series.
Mitchell set the tone as the Cavs led from start to finish, just as they did in Game 1.
It’s been an impressive opening to the playoffs for Cleveland, which spent the regular season waiting for a chance to redeem itself following last year’s first-round exit against the New York Knicks, who punished the Cavs in five games.
Cleveland has been much tougher this time around.
Evan Mobley added 17 points and Allen scored 16 - with nine offensive rebounds - for the Cavs.
Paolo Banchero scored 21 points and Franz Wagner 18 for the Magic, who have only come back to win one playoff series in 13 tries when losing the series opener. They’re now in an even deeper hole.
Game 3 of the best-of-seven series is Thursday in Orlando.
Magic guard Jalen Suggs went down with a sprained left knee in the first quarter. He collapsed to the floor after making contact with Mitchell and immediately grabbed his leg in pain. After being helped up, an emotional Suggs couldn’t put any weight on his leg as he was carried to the locker room.
However, the former high school football star returned after halftime with a sleeve on his leg.
Knicks 104, 76ers 101
In New York, Donte DiVincenzo made a go-ahead 3-pointer with 13 seconds remaining after a desperate scramble, and New York beat Philadelphia to take a 2-0 lead in their first-round playoff series.
The Knicks trailed by five points within the final 30 seconds, on the verge of losing home-court advantage before a stunning rally, starting when Jalen Brunson finally got a shot to fall during an otherwise miserable night.
Brunson’s 3-pointer from the corner bounced on the rim and fell in, cutting it to 101-99 with 27 seconds remaining. Josh Hart stole the ball from Tyrese Maxey to get the ball back for the Knicks, but DiVincenzo missed a 3-pointer. Isaiah Hartenstein grabbed the rebound and passed it to OG Anunoby, who got it back to DiVincenzo, who hit that one to make it 102-101.
Hartenstein then blocked Maxey’s
drive, Anunoby made two free throws, and the Knicks held on when Joel Embiid missed a 3-pointer at the buzzer.
Brunson finished with 24 points despite going 8 for 29 from the field. Josh Hart had 21 points and 15 rebounds, and DiVincenzo scored 19 points.
Maxey had 35 points, 10 assists and nine rebounds in a brilliant performance after he was ill earlier in the day. Embiid had 34 points and 10 rebounds.