Nuggets take 2-0 lead on basket in last second

Jamal Murray hit a step-back jumper as time expired and the host Denver Nuggets rallied from a 20-point deficit to beat the Los Angeles Lakers 101-99 on Monday night in Game 2 of a Western Conference first-round playoff series.

Murray, who struggled shooting all game, dribbled to the baseline and launched a 16-footer over the outstretched hand of Anthony Davis to give Denver a 2-0 series lead.

Game 3 is Thursday in Los Angeles (10 p.m., TNT).

LeBron James had a steal and dunk to put Los Angeles up 95-92 and Michael Porter Jr.’s 3pointer with 1:15 left tied it before Murray took over. He hit two free throws and a 20-footer to answer buckets by Los Angeles. James then missed a 3-pointer with 16.3 seconds left to set up Murray’s heroics.

After the game, a video emerged showing a brother of Nuggets star Nikola Jokic appearing to punch someone, The Athletic reported.

A video of Strahinja Jokic appears to show him and another Jokic brother, Nemanja, confront two men in the stands at Ball Arena, with Strahinja landing a punch to the fan’s face.

The NBA said it would investigate.

ELSEWHERE

Knicks 104, 76ers 101: Donte DiVincenzo hit the go-ahead 3-pointer with 13.1 seconds left for host New York, which scored the final eight points in the last 28 seconds Monday to stun Philadelphia and take a 2-0 lead in an Eastern Conference series.

Game 3 is Thursday in Philadelphia (7:30 p.m., TNT).

The 76ers overcame an eight-point deficit by mounting a 19-6 run that ended with Kyle Lowry splitting a pair of free throws with 47.3 seconds left for a 101-96 lead.

But then New York’s Jalen Brunson, who missed his first five 3point attempts, got a shooter’s bounce on a corner 3 with 27.4 seconds left to cut the Philly lead to 101-99. The Knicks hung on after DiVincenzo’s shot gave them a 102-101 lead.

Brunson finished with 24 points, eight rebounds and six assists while Josh Hart had 21 points and 15 rebounds for the Knicks.

Tyrese Maxey logged 35 points, 10 assists and nine rebounds and Joel Embiid had 34 points and 10 boards for the 76ers.

Embiid said he wasn’t fazed the by 0-2 deficit.

“We’re good,” he told reporters. “We’re going to win this series. We are going to win this. We know what we gotta fix.”

Cavaliers 96, Magic 86: Donovan Mitchell recorded 23 points and eight rebounds and Jarrett Allen collected a personal playoff high of 20 boards Monday to pace Cleveland to a victory over visiting Orlando.

The Cavaliers, who never trailed, grabbed a 2-0 lead in a best-ofseven Eastern Conference first-round series as Evan Mobley scored 17 points and Allen had 16.

Game 3 is Thursday in Orlando (7 p.m., NBA TV).

Paolo Banchero scored 21 points and Franz Wagner added 18 points and seven rebounds for the Magic, who committed 17 turnovers.