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Source: http://feeds.denverpost.com/dp-sports-nuggets

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16. <title>Denver Nuggets news, rumors, stats, photos, video — The Denver Post</title>
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36. <title>Nuggets psyching themselves up to sweep Lakers: &#8220;It&#8217;s a hell of a challenge&#8221;</title>
37. <link>https://www.denverpost.com/2024/04/26/nuggets-lakers-game-4-preview-2/</link>
39. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Patrick Saunders]]></dc:creator>
40. <pubDate>Sat, 27 Apr 2024 00:29:21 +0000</pubDate>
41. <category><![CDATA[Denver Nuggets]]></category>
42. <category><![CDATA[Latest Headlines]]></category>
43. <category><![CDATA[NBA]]></category>
44. <category><![CDATA[Sports]]></category>
45. <category><![CDATA[Aaron Gordon]]></category>
46. <category><![CDATA[Anthony Davis]]></category>
47. <category><![CDATA[Jamal Murray]]></category>
48. <category><![CDATA[LeBron James]]></category>
49. <category><![CDATA[Los Angeles]]></category>
50. <category><![CDATA[Michael Malone]]></category>
51. <category><![CDATA[More Nuggets News]]></category>
52. <category><![CDATA[NBA Finals]]></category>
53. <category><![CDATA[Nikola Jokic]]></category>
54. <category><![CDATA[Nuggets]]></category>
55. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.denverpost.com/?p=6033860</guid>
56.  
57. <description><![CDATA[A Game 4 doesn't have near the buzz of a Game 7 but that doesn't matter to the Nuggets who can sweep the Lakers Saturday night.]]></description>
58. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>SANTA MONICA, Calif. &#8212; A Game 4 doesn&#8217;t have near the buzz of a Game 7.</p>
59. <p>That doesn&#8217;t matter to the defending NBA champion Nuggets, who spent Friday psyching themselves up for Saturday night&#8217;s Game 4 against the Lakers at Crypto.com Arena.</p>
60. <p>If they win, the Nuggets will sweep the Lakers out of the playoffs on their home court for the second consecutive year and advance to the second round. Last year, Nikola Jokic scored 30 points, snared 14 rebounds and dished off 13 assists as the <a href="https://www.denverpost.com/2023/05/22/nikola-jokic-nuggets-beat-lakers-game-4/">Nuggets advanced to the NBA Finals</a> for the first time in team history with a tense 113-111 victory.</p>
61. <p>Saturday night, Denver expects a battle royale.</p>
62. <p>&#8220;We had to win four close-out games to win the championship last year, so our guys understand that,&#8221; coach Michael Malone said from the team&#8217;s hotel. &#8220;This will be the hardest game of the series, and the Lakers are not going to go out without a fight. We know that. They have Hall of Famers and all-time greats playing for them, and their backs are against the wall.</p>
63. <p>&#8220;So how do we trick our minds into becoming the more desperate team? The more urgent team? They are not going to just give this to us. If we are going close this out tomorrow, we are going to have to go into (their arena) and take it from them. It will be a hell of a challenge.&#8221;</p>
64. <p>The Nuggets have trailed by double digits in all three games of this series before rallying to win. Guard Jamal Murray, who <a href="https://www.denverpost.com/2024/04/23/lakers-nuggets-game-2-jamal-murray-shot-buzzer-beater/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">won Game 2 with a jump shot at the buzzer</a>, said his team has not come close to playing its best basketball. He said that the Nuggets better come closer on Saturday night because he expects the Lakers to come out fired up.</p>
65. <p>&#8220;No one wants to get swept — let alone twice,&#8221; Murray said. &#8220;The (Lakers are) such a big organization. They have diehard fans, and it&#8217;s always loud in there, and they&#8217;ll have a lot of energy and emotion. They&#8217;re playing hard.&#8221;</p>
66. <p>Murray didn&#8217;t mention that the Nuggets have beaten Los Angeles 11 straight times, but that&#8217;s certainly going to provide some payback mojo for the Lakers.</p>
67. <p>In last year&#8217;s Game 4, Murray scored 25 points for the top-seeded Nuggets, who overcame LeBron James’ 31-point first half and a 15-point halftime deficit to finish off the sweep.</p>
68. <p>James finished with 40 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists, but he missed two shots in the final seconds. Aaron Gordon was officially credited with blocking James&#8217; final shot at the buzzer.</p>
69. <p>After the game, <a href="https://www.espn.com/nba/recap/_/gameId/401547684">James touted the Nuggets&#8217; talent and teamwork.</a></p>
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78.  
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86. <span class="dfm-title premium">
87. PHOTOS: Denver Nuggets beat Los Angeles Lakers 112-105 in Game 3 of first-round NBA playoff series </span>
88.  
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124.  
125.  
126.  
127. </a>
130. </li></ul></aside>
131. <p>&#8220;Me and AD (Anthony Davis) were just talking in the locker room, (and) we came to the consensus this is one of the best teams, if not the best team, we’ve played together for all four years,” James said. &#8220;Just well orchestrated, well put together. They have scoring. They have shooting. They have playmaking. They have smarts. They have length. They have depth. And one thing about their team, when you have a guy like Jokic, who is as big as he is but also as cerebral as he is, you can’t really make many mistakes versus a guy like that.&#8221;</p>
132. <p><em><a href="https://www.denverpost.com/newsletter-signup/nuggets-insider/">Want more Nuggets news? Sign up for the Nuggets Insider to get all our NBA analysis.</a></em></p>
133. ]]></content:encoded>
137. <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">6033860</post-id><media:content url="https://www.denverpost.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/TDP-L-NUGGETS-LAKERSAO1_5847xxx.jpg?w=1400px&#038;strip=all" fileSize="298005" type="image/jpeg" height="150" width="150" isDefault="true"><media:description type="html"><![CDATA[ Anthony Davis (3) of the Los Angeles Lakers drives into congestion as Jamal Murray (27), Michael Porter Jr. (1) and Nikola Jokic (15) of the Denver Nuggets defend during the fourth quarter of the Nuggets’ 112-105 win at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles on Thursday, April 25, 2024. (Photo by AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post) ]]></media:description></media:content>
138. <dcterms:created>2024-04-26T18:29:21+00:00</dcterms:created>
139. <dcterms:modified>2024-04-26T18:47:44+00:00</dcterms:modified>
140. </item>
141. <item>
142. <title>Nikola Jokic after Nuggets&#8217; 11th straight win over Lakers: “Don’t get bored with success”</title>
143. <link>https://www.denverpost.com/2024/04/26/nikola-jokic-nuggets-11th-straight-win-lakers-bored/</link>
145. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Bennett Durando]]></dc:creator>
146. <pubDate>Fri, 26 Apr 2024 14:16:05 +0000</pubDate>
147. <category><![CDATA[Denver Nuggets]]></category>
148. <category><![CDATA[Latest Headlines]]></category>
149. <category><![CDATA[NBA]]></category>
150. <category><![CDATA[Sports]]></category>
151. <category><![CDATA[Aaron Gordon]]></category>
152. <category><![CDATA[Anthony Davis]]></category>
153. <category><![CDATA[Gabe Vincent]]></category>
154. <category><![CDATA[Kevin Durant]]></category>
155. <category><![CDATA[LeBron James]]></category>
156. <category><![CDATA[Michael Malone]]></category>
157. <category><![CDATA[More Nuggets News]]></category>
158. <category><![CDATA[Nikola Jokic]]></category>
159. <category><![CDATA[Peyton Watson]]></category>
160. <category><![CDATA[Spencer Dinwiddie]]></category>
161. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.denverpost.com/?p=6033058</guid>
162.  
163. <description><![CDATA[Call it championship masochism. The Nuggets are fighting their own complacency as much as the Lakers at this point in the lopsided matchup that dates back 11 games.]]></description>
164. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>LOS ANGELES &#8212; They showered Darvin Ham with boos as the coach was introduced before opening tip. They bombarded him with more pointed chants before time expired in an otherwise lifeless building.</p>
165. <p>&#8220;Fire Darvin!&#8221;</p>
166. <p>But is this Ham&#8217;s fault? D&#8217;Angelo Russell&#8217;s? The bench&#8217;s? All of the above? The Nuggets have infiltrated Los Angeles and sown instability within an American institution. The Lakers&#8217; superstar foundation is crumbling under the overwhelming pressure of Denver&#8217;s starting lineup, which is on the verge of securing a second playoff sweep of Los Angeles in as many seasons.</p>
167. <p>&#8220;To beat a team like that in the first round, who I think if seeded differently, they could make it to the Western Conference Finals or something like that, it&#8217;s definitely a challenge,&#8221; Peyton Watson said. &#8220;But we&#8217;re up to it every time, and we love going out there and winning games.&#8221;</p>
168. <p>With every successive win &#8212; every <em>identical </em>win &#8212; the unthinkable becomes closer to reality. The Nuggets might just own the Lakers.</p>
169. <p>If they finish the job Saturday in Game 4, they&#8217;ll accomplish what not even the Steph Curry-Kevin Durant Warriors could, eliminating LeBron James via sweep two years in a row. Golden State needed five games in 2017.</p>
170. <p>“They do not have a weakness offensively,” James said. “… Definitely one of the better teams that I’ve played in my career.”</p>
171. <p>Maybe Denver will need five games in 2024. But if there&#8217;s any reason to believe that now, it&#8217;s this: The Nuggets are clearly a danger to themselves in this matchup. They are prone to stretches, even entire halves, of complacency against an opponent that can&#8217;t hold a lead against them. The ongoing 11-game win streak features six double-digit comebacks.</p>
172. <p>&#8220;I think in this job as a coach, you always have to put on the hat of, &#8216;We have to fight human nature.&#8217; And how do you do that when you&#8217;ve beaten a team 10 times in a row?&#8221; Nuggets coach Michael Malone said before Game 3, a 112-105 victory. &#8220;&#8230; Well, we&#8217;ve been down 12, we&#8217;ve been down 20. We&#8217;ve lost the first quarter of both games. We&#8217;ve been down at halftime in both games. That&#8217;s cool in your home building when you have that crowd behind you, but now it&#8217;s just us.&#8221;</p>
173. <p>Those turned out to be hollow words. Denver spotted Los Angeles an 8-0 lead that grew to 12 before everyone other than Aaron Gordon decided to take Game 3 seriously.</p>
174. <p>What followed was a 24-point swing between the second and third quarters. Like clockwork.</p>
175. <p>&#8220;To be honest, I think every game is tougher and tougher,&#8221; Nikola Jokic said. &#8220;You can see, they were up 20 in Denver, in Game 2. They were up 12 today in the first half. But yeah, I think it&#8217;s really hard to play against the same team over and over again. You kind of get bored with the style of the play or whatever. So you just need to &#8212; especially for us, because we won the last three &#8212; just trust what we are doing and don&#8217;t get bored with success. Because it can (go) wrong really quick.&#8221;</p>
176. <figure id="attachment_6033016"  class="wp-caption aligncenter size-article_inline"><img decoding="async" class=" lazyautosizes lazyload" src="https://i0.wp.com/www.denverpost.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/TDP-L-NUGGETS-LAKERSAO1_5452xxx.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1" sizes="405px" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/www.denverpost.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/TDP-L-NUGGETS-LAKERSAO1_5452xxx.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 620w,https://i0.wp.com/www.denverpost.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/TDP-L-NUGGETS-LAKERSAO1_5452xxx.jpg?fit=780%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 780w,https://i0.wp.com/www.denverpost.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/TDP-L-NUGGETS-LAKERSAO1_5452xxx.jpg?fit=810%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 810w,https://i0.wp.com/www.denverpost.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/TDP-L-NUGGETS-LAKERSAO1_5452xxx.jpg?fit=1280%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 1280w,https://i0.wp.com/www.denverpost.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/TDP-L-NUGGETS-LAKERSAO1_5452xxx.jpg?fit=1860%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 1860w" alt="Michael Porter Jr. (1) of the Denver Nuggets knocks down a mid-range jumper over Anthony Davis (3) of the Los Angeles Lakers during the fourth quarter of the Nuggets' 112-105 win at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles on Thursday, April 25, 2024. (Photo by AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post)" width="4250" data-sizes="auto" data-src="https://i0.wp.com/www.denverpost.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/TDP-L-NUGGETS-LAKERSAO1_5452xxx.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1" data-attachment-id="6033016" data-srcset="https://i0.wp.com/www.denverpost.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/TDP-L-NUGGETS-LAKERSAO1_5452xxx.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 620w,https://i0.wp.com/www.denverpost.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/TDP-L-NUGGETS-LAKERSAO1_5452xxx.jpg?fit=780%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 780w,https://i0.wp.com/www.denverpost.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/TDP-L-NUGGETS-LAKERSAO1_5452xxx.jpg?fit=810%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 810w,https://i0.wp.com/www.denverpost.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/TDP-L-NUGGETS-LAKERSAO1_5452xxx.jpg?fit=1280%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 1280w,https://i0.wp.com/www.denverpost.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/TDP-L-NUGGETS-LAKERSAO1_5452xxx.jpg?fit=1860%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 1860w" /><figcaption class="wp-caption-text">Michael Porter Jr. (1) of the Denver Nuggets knocks down a mid-range jumper over Anthony Davis (3) of the Los Angeles Lakers during the fourth quarter of the Nuggets’ 112-105 win at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles on Thursday, April 25, 2024. (Photo by AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post)</figcaption></figure>
177. <p>The Nuggets are so bored of this matchup that they&#8217;ve inadvertently become thrill-seekers, dangling a win in front of the Lakers every night only to pull it out of reach at the last second when Anthony Davis tries to snatch it.</p>
178. <p>Moments of redemption for the Lakers are short-lived against Denver. Davis’s dominant first half against Jokic in Game 2 was forgotten because he didn’t score in the fourth quarter. Russell’s 23-point bounce-back was superseded by his scoreless Game 3. In the first and third games, he combined to shoot 6 for 27.</p>
179. <p>The variations of a Los Angeles second unit have failed to take any advantage of Jokic’s rest minutes. Before Game 3, Taurean Prince was the only Lakers bench player who’d scored a point in the series. Nothing from Spencer Dinwiddie. Nothing from Gabe Vincent.</p>
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184. <span class="dfm-title metered">
185. Nuggets psyching themselves up to sweep Lakers: &#8220;It&#8217;s a hell of a challenge&#8221; </span>
186.  
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196. <span class="dfm-title premium">
197. PHOTOS: Denver Nuggets beat Los Angeles Lakers 112-105 in Game 3 of first-round NBA playoff series </span>
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228. </li><li>
229.  
230. <div class="entry-section"><a href="https://www.denverpost.com/sports/nba/denver-nuggets/">Denver Nuggets | </a></div> <a class="article-title" href="https://www.denverpost.com/2024/04/25/nikola-jokic-defense-playoffs-anthony-davis-matchup/" title="How can Nuggets maximize Nikola Jokic&#8217;s defense in playoffs? &#8220;I&#8217;m not really good defensively one-on-one&#8221;">
232. <span class="dfm-title metered">
233. How can Nuggets maximize Nikola Jokic&#8217;s defense in playoffs? &#8220;I&#8217;m not really good defensively one-on-one&#8221; </span>
234.  
235.  
236.  
237. </a>
240. </li></ul></aside>
241. <p>They finally contributed more offense in Game 3 &#8212; but the bench was still an inefficient 8 for 19 en route to 19 points.</p>
242. <p>Davis has been the Lakers’ best player according to the box scores. Los Angeles is plus-25 points with him on the floor in the first halves of these three games &#8212; and minus-41 with him on the floor in the second halves.</p>
243. <p>&#8220;This team&#8217;s been having the type of run they&#8217;ve had against our ball club; I think it&#8217;s just a lot of disappointment,” Lakers coach Darvin Ham said. “Have to do a better job of staying focused, staying positive throughout it all, because again, you have those disappointment moments, what we call disappointment lags &#8212; that disappointment can spill over two, three, four possessions. And you see that someone makes a mistake, drop our heads, and we start jogging back instead of sprinting. But we have to fight through all of that. This is a hell of a team. … They push you to the limit in order to try and beat them.”</p>
244. <p>Moreover, the Nuggets push themselves to the limit in order to beat the Lakers. Not because they have to; because they can.</p>
245. <p><em><a href="https://www.denverpost.com/newsletter-signup/nuggets-insider/">Want more Nuggets news? Sign up for the Nuggets Insider to get all our NBA analysis.</a></em></p>
246. ]]></content:encoded>
250. <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">6033058</post-id><media:content url="https://www.denverpost.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/TDP-L-NUGGETS-LAKERSAO1_5240xxx.jpg?w=1400px&#038;strip=all" fileSize="251719" type="image/jpeg" height="150" width="150" isDefault="true"><media:description type="html"><![CDATA[ Jamal Murray (27) of the Denver Nuggets works around Gabe Vincent (7) of the Los Angeles Lakers as Nikola Jokic (15) sets a booty screen during the fourth quarter of the Nuggets’ 112-105 win at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles on Thursday, April 25, 2024. (Photo by AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post) ]]></media:description></media:content>
251. <dcterms:created>2024-04-26T08:16:05+00:00</dcterms:created>
252. <dcterms:modified>2024-04-26T14:35:39+00:00</dcterms:modified>
253. </item>
254. <item>
255. <title>PHOTOS: Denver Nuggets beat Los Angeles Lakers 112-105 in Game 3 of first-round NBA playoff series</title>
256. <link>https://www.denverpost.com/2024/04/25/nuggets-lakers-game-3-nba-playoffs-photos/</link>
258. <dc:creator><![CDATA[AAron Ontiveroz]]></dc:creator>
259. <pubDate>Fri, 26 Apr 2024 05:30:43 +0000</pubDate>
260. <category><![CDATA[Denver Nuggets]]></category>
261. <category><![CDATA[Latest Headlines]]></category>
262. <category><![CDATA[NBA]]></category>
263. <category><![CDATA[Sports]]></category>
264. <category><![CDATA[More Nuggets News]]></category>
265. <category><![CDATA[Nuggets highlights]]></category>
266. <category><![CDATA[Photos and Videos]]></category>
267. <category><![CDATA[sports photos]]></category>
268. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.denverpost.com/?p=6032971</guid>
269.  
270. <description><![CDATA[The Denver Nuggets beat the Los Angeles Lakers 112-105 in Game 3 of their Western Conference first-round playoff series at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles on Thursday night, April 25, 2024.]]></description>
271. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>The Denver Nuggets beat the Los Angeles Lakers 112-105 in Game 3 of their Western Conference first-round playoff series at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles on Thursday night, April 25, 2024. Denver leads the series 3-0.</p>
272. <aside class="related right"><h2 class="widget-title" data-curated-ids="" data-relation-type="automatic-primary-tag">Related Articles</h2><ul><li>
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276. <span class="dfm-title metered">
277. Nuggets psyching themselves up to sweep Lakers: &#8220;It&#8217;s a hell of a challenge&#8221; </span>
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288. <span class="dfm-title metered">
289. Nikola Jokic after Nuggets&#8217; 11th straight win over Lakers: “Don’t get bored with success” </span>
290.  
291.  
292.  
293. </a>
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298. <div class="entry-section"><a href="https://www.denverpost.com/sports/nba/denver-nuggets/">Denver Nuggets | </a></div> <a class="article-title" href="https://www.denverpost.com/2024/04/25/aaron-gordon-lebron-james-nuggets-game-3-lakers/" title="Nuggets 3-pointers: Aaron Gordon, Nikola Jokic just stuck fork in LeBron James&#8217; title window with Lakers">
300. <span class="dfm-title metered">
301. Nuggets 3-pointers: Aaron Gordon, Nikola Jokic just stuck fork in LeBron James&#8217; title window with Lakers </span>
302.  
303.  
304.  
305. </a>
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309.  
310. <div class="entry-section"><a href="https://www.denverpost.com/sports/nba/denver-nuggets/">Denver Nuggets | </a></div> <a class="article-title" href="https://www.denverpost.com/2024/04/25/nuggets-lakers-game-3-comebacks-double-digit-deficits/" title="Nuggets rally from double-digit deficit in third consecutive game to take 3-0 series lead on Lakers">
312. <span class="dfm-title metered">
313. Nuggets rally from double-digit deficit in third consecutive game to take 3-0 series lead on Lakers </span>
314.  
315.  
316.  
317. </a>
320. </li><li>
321.  
322. <div class="entry-section"><a href="https://www.denverpost.com/sports/nba/denver-nuggets/">Denver Nuggets | </a></div> <a class="article-title" href="https://www.denverpost.com/2024/04/25/nikola-jokic-defense-playoffs-anthony-davis-matchup/" title="How can Nuggets maximize Nikola Jokic&#8217;s defense in playoffs? &#8220;I&#8217;m not really good defensively one-on-one&#8221;">
324. <span class="dfm-title metered">
325. How can Nuggets maximize Nikola Jokic&#8217;s defense in playoffs? &#8220;I&#8217;m not really good defensively one-on-one&#8221; </span>
326.  
327.  
328.  
329. </a>
332. </li></ul></aside>
333. ]]></content:encoded>
337. <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">6032971</post-id><media:content url="https://www.denverpost.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/TDP-L-NUGGETS-LAKERSAO1_5847xxx.jpg?w=1400px&#038;strip=all" fileSize="298005" type="image/jpeg" height="150" width="150" isDefault="true"><media:description type="html"><![CDATA[ Anthony Davis (3) of the Los Angeles Lakers drives into congestion as Jamal Murray (27), Michael Porter Jr. (1) and Nikola Jokic (15) of the Denver Nuggets defend during the fourth quarter of the Nuggets’ 112-105 win at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles on Thursday, April 25, 2024. (Photo by AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post) ]]></media:description></media:content>
338. <dcterms:created>2024-04-25T23:30:43+00:00</dcterms:created>
339. <dcterms:modified>2024-04-25T23:33:29+00:00</dcterms:modified>
340. </item>
341. <item>
342. <title>Nuggets 3-pointers: Aaron Gordon, Nikola Jokic just stuck fork in LeBron James&#8217; title window with Lakers</title>
343. <link>https://www.denverpost.com/2024/04/25/aaron-gordon-lebron-james-nuggets-game-3-lakers/</link>
345. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Sean Keeler]]></dc:creator>
346. <pubDate>Fri, 26 Apr 2024 04:57:12 +0000</pubDate>
347. <category><![CDATA[Denver Nuggets]]></category>
348. <category><![CDATA[Latest Headlines]]></category>
349. <category><![CDATA[NBA]]></category>
350. <category><![CDATA[Sports]]></category>
351. <category><![CDATA[Aaron Gordon]]></category>
352. <category><![CDATA[Anthony Davis]]></category>
353. <category><![CDATA[Broncos Country]]></category>
354. <category><![CDATA[LeBron James]]></category>
355. <category><![CDATA[Michael Malone]]></category>
356. <category><![CDATA[More Nuggets News]]></category>
357. <category><![CDATA[Nikola Jokic]]></category>
358. <category><![CDATA[Nuggets]]></category>
359. <category><![CDATA[Zach Wilson]]></category>
360. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.denverpost.com/?p=6032857</guid>
361.  
362. <description><![CDATA[Quick hits from the Nuggets’ Game 3 victory over the Lakers on Thursday night at Crypto.com Arena in the Western Conference playoffs.]]></description>
363. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Quick hits from the <a href="https://www.denverpost.com/2024/04/25/nuggets-lakers-game-3-comebacks-double-digit-deficits/">Nuggets’ Game 3 victory</a> over the Lakers on Thursday night at Crypto.com Arena in the Western Conference playoffs.</p>
364. <p><strong>1. Nuggets just stuck a dagger in the LeBron-Anthony Davis Era.</strong> Maybe no matchup in this series underscores the differences between the defending NBA champs and the Lakers right now than that of Aaron Gordon and LeBron James. While the former put up 29 points and 15 rebounds, killing L.A. on the glass, the latter seemed to check out for stretches in the second half once the Nuggs took the lead for good. Insiders think a quick postseason exit for the Lakers could hasten the exit for the 39-year-old NBA icon out of Los Angeles, breaking up the LeBron-Anthony Davis duo as anchors of this franchise. AG recorded two slams, contributing six points to a 9-0 Denver run that put the No. 2 seed up 69-61 and forced a Lakers timeout with 6:21 left in the third quarter. King James had never lost 10 straight to any NBA franchise before this series. Here&#8217;s to history, folks. Because the Lakers are very, very, very much that.</p>
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382. Nikola Jokic after Nuggets&#8217; 11th straight win over Lakers: “Don’t get bored with success” </span>
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393. <span class="dfm-title premium">
394. PHOTOS: Denver Nuggets beat Los Angeles Lakers 112-105 in Game 3 of first-round NBA playoff series </span>
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417. <span class="dfm-title metered">
418. How can Nuggets maximize Nikola Jokic&#8217;s defense in playoffs? &#8220;I&#8217;m not really good defensively one-on-one&#8221; </span>
419.  
420.  
421.  
422. </a>
425. </li></ul></aside>
426. <p><strong>2. Bo who? Joker&#8217;s still best passer in town!</strong> Former Oregon QB Bo Nix was on the hearts and minds of Broncos Country after being tapped by Denver <a href="https://www.denverpost.com/2024/04/25/broncos-bo-nix-nfl-draft-first-round-analysis/">with the No. 12 pick</a> in the NFL Draft, but it didn&#8217;t take long for Nikola Jokic to remind the universe that he&#8217;s still the best passer in the Mile High City. About 90 seconds into the third quarter, the Joker grabbed a defensive rebound and spotted Murray streaking like Marvin Mims Jr. past midcourt. Jokic rocked and fired a rainbow over the Lakers&#8217; defense that hit his longtime running mate in stride, and the Blue Arrow did the rest from there, laying it up to tie the game at 55-all. Nix and Zach Wilson have their work cut out to match that dime, kids.</p>
427. <p><strong>3. First quarter blues (again).</strong> Props to coach Michael Malone and to Nikola Jokic for not letting the first quarter of Game 3 turn into a repeat of the second stanza of Game 2. Because it could&#8217;ve. Two minutes in, Denver was 0-for-4 from floor, had already given the ball away twice, and were staring at an 8-0 deficit after three monster Lake Show dunks. At the 7:51 mark of the first quarter, the Joker had already picked up two fouls. After 12 minutes, the Lakers had 22 points in the paint. But thanks to Aaron Gordon being everywhere and Jokic&#8217;s hoops IQ, the latter didn&#8217;t pick up another foul the rest of the first half as the Nuggets hung around. And hung around. And hung around.</p>
428. <p><em><a href="https://www.denverpost.com/newsletter-signup/nuggets-insider/">Want more Nuggets news? Sign up for the Nuggets Insider to get all our NBA analysis.</a></em></p>
429. ]]></content:encoded>
433. <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">6032857</post-id><media:content url="https://www.denverpost.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/TDP-L-NUGGETS-LAKERSAO2_8925xxx.jpg?w=1400px&#038;strip=all" fileSize="210574" type="image/jpeg" height="150" width="150" isDefault="true"><media:description type="html"><![CDATA[ LeBron James (23) of the Los Angeles Lakers disputes a no-call upon getting muscled to the deck by Aaron Gordon (50) of the Denver Nuggets during the second quarter at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles on Thursday, April 25, 2024. (Photo by AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post) ]]></media:description></media:content>
434. <dcterms:created>2024-04-25T22:57:12+00:00</dcterms:created>
435. <dcterms:modified>2024-04-25T23:07:00+00:00</dcterms:modified>
436. </item>
437. <item>
438. <title>Nuggets rally from double-digit deficit in third consecutive game to take 3-0 series lead on Lakers</title>
439. <link>https://www.denverpost.com/2024/04/25/nuggets-lakers-game-3-comebacks-double-digit-deficits/</link>
441. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Bennett Durando]]></dc:creator>
442. <pubDate>Fri, 26 Apr 2024 04:49:27 +0000</pubDate>
443. <category><![CDATA[Denver Nuggets]]></category>
444. <category><![CDATA[Latest Headlines]]></category>
445. <category><![CDATA[NBA]]></category>
446. <category><![CDATA[Sports]]></category>
447. <category><![CDATA[Aaron Gordon]]></category>
448. <category><![CDATA[Anthony Davis]]></category>
449. <category><![CDATA[Jamal Murray]]></category>
450. <category><![CDATA[Kentavious Caldwell-Pope]]></category>
451. <category><![CDATA[LeBron James]]></category>
452. <category><![CDATA[Michael Malone]]></category>
453. <category><![CDATA[Michael Porter]]></category>
454. <category><![CDATA[More Nuggets News]]></category>
455. <category><![CDATA[NBA playoffs]]></category>
456. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.denverpost.com/?p=6032681</guid>
457.  
458. <description><![CDATA[Aaron Gordon set a career-high for scoring in a playoff game with 29. Nikola Jokic narrowly missed a triple-double in Game 3 against the Lakers.]]></description>
459. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>LOS ANGELES &#8212; As Nuggets and Lakers alike filtered back onto the floor and started to get shots up, the tension in the sea-level air wasn&#8217;t a feeling of unfinished business, but rather un-started.</p>
460. <p>The Lakers led 53-49, but Game 3 hadn&#8217;t truly tipped off yet. Every player, coach and spectator in Crypto.com Arena understood the reality: The second half is the battleground of this series.</p>
461. <p>And within two minutes of this battle, it no longer mattered that Denver trailed the entire first half, because Denver was back in front, back in charge, back in control of this Sisyphean cycle the Lakers can never escape. For the third time in as many games, the Nuggets erased a double-digit deficit Thursday night, winning 112-105 to take a 3-0 lead in the first-round series.</p>
462. <p>&#8220;I guess there goes the pregame speech about winning the first quarter and being up at halftime,&#8221; Nuggets coach Michael Malone said. &#8220;So let&#8217;s continue to let them outplay us in the first half and settle into the game.&#8221;</p>
463. <p>The Nuggets have now won 11 consecutive games against the Lakers. They&#8217;ve trailed by 10 or more points in six of those wins.</p>
464. <p>Four of Denver&#8217;s starters scored 20 or more to nullify another 33-point game for Anthony Davis. Jokic amassed 24 points, 15 rebounds and nine assists. Jamal Murray added 22 points and nine assists.</p>
465. <p>And in his 43rd career playoff game, Aaron Gordon played one of his best, relying on physicality and competitive will to keep Denver afloat in the first half. He ended up with 29 points (a playoff career-high), 15 rebounds and three assists, including a nifty no-look feed to Jokic in transition that forced a Darvin Ham timeout. It narrowed the second-quarter deficit to four &#8212; as close as the Nuggets had been since falling behind 8-0 in a disastrous first two minutes of the game.</p>
466. <p>It was nothing more than the Lakers&#8217; regularly scheduled head start. Six of the eight points were on fast breaks, and all of them were in the paint, Michael Malone&#8217;s two biggest fears and points of emphasis. Malone used a rapid timeout. Jokic got two quick fouls. Murray was back to pre-buzzer beater Murray. Open 3-pointers were still awry. The Nuggets started the night 2 for 14.</p>
467. <p>&#8220;Neither team could make a shot,&#8221; Malone said.</p>
468. <p>But their uncanny ability to linger in spite of their blips prevailed. Gordon tipped in a Jokic miss before the halftime buzzer to get back within four, and the first two minutes after the break were exponentially more important. A Murray run-out in transition and a long outlet pass from Jokic produced a game-tying layup. A 3-pointer from Michael Porter Jr. on the next possession gave Denver its first lead, 58-55.</p>
469. <p>It was Ham&#8217;s turn to call the early timeout as a feeling of deja vu set in. Nothing worked. The Nuggets assembled their own double-digit lead by the end of the frame.</p>
470. <p>Porter continued to be a force of consistency in an imperfect series for his team. He scored half of his 20 points in the fourth quarter, feasting on the Lakers&#8217; three-guard lineup and even hitting a &#8220;too small&#8221; gesture after one jump shot. He also found Gordon twice in the dunker spot for assists.</p>
471. <p>Through three games, Porter is 47.8% from 3-point range on more than seven attempts per game. The rest of the Nuggets are a combined 17 for 81 (21%).</p>
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526.  
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532. </li></ul></aside>
533. <p>&#8220;I have the utmost confidence that we&#8217;ll start to make those (wide open) shots,&#8221; Malone said pregame, reiterating his usual refrain that the Nuggets only care about the quality of attempts they&#8217;re generating.</p>
534. <p>Denver started the game with its traditional matchups instead of the cross-matching that turned the tide 72 hours earlier in Game 2. But when the Lakers got Jokic in early foul trouble, Malone maneuvered his defense in and out of various looks, including the one with Jokic on Rui Hachimura, Gordon on Davis and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope on LeBron James.</p>
535. <p>&#8220;When Nikola gets in foul trouble, I&#8217;m sure everybody thinks I&#8217;m gonna take him out,&#8221; Malone said. &#8220;Well, we can&#8217;t afford to take Nikola out. So we switched up the matchups. And we got him on somebody not named Anthony Davis. And then we went zone, just to keep him out of foul trouble, not get him his third. So being down four and Nikola not getting his third foul in the first half, those were two big wins.&#8221;</p>
536. <p><em><a href="https://www.denverpost.com/newsletter-signup/nuggets-insider/">Want more Nuggets news? Sign up for the Nuggets Insider to get all our NBA analysis.</a></em></p>
537. ]]></content:encoded>
541. <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">6032681</post-id><media:content url="https://www.denverpost.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/TDP-L-NUGGETS-LAKERSAO2_9483hxxx.jpg?w=1400px&#038;strip=all" fileSize="299642" type="image/jpeg" height="150" width="150" isDefault="true"><media:description type="html"><![CDATA[ Aaron Gordon (50) of the Denver Nuggets drives between Austin Reaves (15) and Spencer Dinwiddie (26) of the Los Angeles Lakers during the second quarter at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles on Thursday, April 25, 2024. (Photo by AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post) ]]></media:description></media:content>
542. <dcterms:created>2024-04-25T22:49:27+00:00</dcterms:created>
543. <dcterms:modified>2024-04-25T23:34:17+00:00</dcterms:modified>
544. </item>
545. <item>
546. <title>How can Nuggets maximize Nikola Jokic&#8217;s defense in playoffs? &#8220;I&#8217;m not really good defensively one-on-one&#8221;</title>
547. <link>https://www.denverpost.com/2024/04/25/nikola-jokic-defense-playoffs-anthony-davis-matchup/</link>
549. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Bennett Durando]]></dc:creator>
550. <pubDate>Thu, 25 Apr 2024 21:04:34 +0000</pubDate>
551. <category><![CDATA[Denver Nuggets]]></category>
552. <category><![CDATA[Latest Headlines]]></category>
553. <category><![CDATA[NBA]]></category>
554. <category><![CDATA[Sports]]></category>
555. <category><![CDATA[Aaron Gordon]]></category>
556. <category><![CDATA[Anthony Davis]]></category>
557. <category><![CDATA[Chet Holmgren]]></category>
558. <category><![CDATA[Denver]]></category>
559. <category><![CDATA[Jusuf Nurkic]]></category>
560. <category><![CDATA[Karl-Anthony Towns]]></category>
561. <category><![CDATA[LeBron James]]></category>
562. <category><![CDATA[Los Angeles]]></category>
563. <category><![CDATA[Michael Malone]]></category>
564. <category><![CDATA[More Nuggets News]]></category>
565. <category><![CDATA[Nikola Jokic]]></category>
566. <category><![CDATA[Nuggets]]></category>
567. <category><![CDATA[Rudy Gobert]]></category>
568. <category><![CDATA[Western Conference]]></category>
569. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.denverpost.com/?p=6031739</guid>
570.  
571. <description><![CDATA[Nuggets center Nikola Jokic is bracingly comfortable with the acknowledgment of his limitations as a defender. But he has strengths, too, that Denver can deploy in the playoffs.]]></description>
572. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>If the annual playoff referendum on Nikola Jokic&#8217;s defense has already commenced, Jokic himself might have put an amusing stop to it during the first round.</p>
573. <p>As self-deprecating as ever, he didn&#8217;t mince words when asked how he can guard Lakers center Anthony Davis better after a barrage of buckets forced <a href="https://www.denverpost.com/2024/04/23/aaron-gordon-anthony-davis-nuggets-defense-lakers-game-2/">Michael Malone to cross-match</a>, hiding Jokic on a lesser scoring threat in Game 2.</p>
574. <p>&#8220;He&#8217;s an offensive monster, and defensive, too,&#8221; Jokic said. &#8220;&#8230; He&#8217;s a really good offensive player. And I&#8217;m not really good defensively one-on-one. Let&#8217;s say it like that.&#8221;</p>
575. <p>Jokic chuckled as he finished, bracingly comfortable with the acknowledgment of his limitations. His words could carry some weight beyond this first-round series, depending on Denver&#8217;s potential future matchups and how Malone determines Jokic is best deployed as a defender.</p>
576. <p>But the comment was also a reminder that he&#8217;s getting his biggest stumbling block out of the way early.</p>
577. <p>Davis exposed Jokic in Game 2 for a staggering six-minute stretch that mercifully became a footnote in Denver&#8217;s dramatic comeback win. But if the Nuggets survive the Lakers and advance, is any other Western Conference center capable of replicating what Davis briefly accomplished?</p>
578. <p>If the Nuggets face the Timberwolves in the second round, Rudy Gobert&#8217;s minutes will likely be mirrored with Jokic&#8217;s because Minnesota needs to try neutralizing Jokic at the other end of the floor. But that means Jokic can likewise match up on Gobert, an adequate but not elite offensive threat, while Aaron Gordon guards Karl-Anthony Towns and Naz Reid more. If Phoenix is the opponent, Jusuf Nurkic is not enough of a scorer for Denver to worry about cross-matching Jokic away from him.</p>
579. <p>The same goes for most of the centers on the other side of the West bracket: Ivica Zubac of the Clippers, Daniel Gafford or Derek Lively III of the Mavericks, and Jonas Valanciunas or Larry Nance Jr. of the Pelicans. Chet Holmgren would be the interesting. The lanky Oklahoma City center averaged three more points per game against the Nuggets than his season total, and he shot 3.9% better than his average. He&#8217;s more of a driving threat against Jokic than a post-up threat. But if that ever becomes a recurring issue, Denver can experiment with a strategy other Thunder opponents have tried this season: putting the starting center on Josh Giddey, using him as a helper and playing the percentages. (Giddey was 33.7% from three).</p>
580. <p>That&#8217;s essentially what Malone did with Jokic in the second half of Game 2 against the Lakers, only a more daring version &#8212; Los Angeles&#8217; Rui Hachimura shot 42% from three this season.</p>
581. <p>&#8220;That allowed Nikola, with his IQ, to kind of roam and protect and communicate as a back-line defender, where he’s phenomenal,&#8221; Malone said Wednesday before the Nuggets flew to Los Angeles for Game 3.</p>
582. <figure id="attachment_6029001"  class="wp-caption aligncenter size-article_inline"><img decoding="async" class=" lazyautosizes lazyload" src="https://i0.wp.com/www.denverpost.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/TDP-L-NUGGETS-LAKERSAO2_4410xxx.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1" sizes="451px" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/www.denverpost.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/TDP-L-NUGGETS-LAKERSAO2_4410xxx.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 620w,https://i0.wp.com/www.denverpost.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/TDP-L-NUGGETS-LAKERSAO2_4410xxx.jpg?fit=780%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 780w,https://i0.wp.com/www.denverpost.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/TDP-L-NUGGETS-LAKERSAO2_4410xxx.jpg?fit=810%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 810w,https://i0.wp.com/www.denverpost.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/TDP-L-NUGGETS-LAKERSAO2_4410xxx.jpg?fit=1280%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 1280w,https://i0.wp.com/www.denverpost.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/TDP-L-NUGGETS-LAKERSAO2_4410xxx.jpg?fit=1860%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 1860w" alt="Anthony Davis (3) of the Los Angeles Lakers shoots over Nikola Jokic (15) of the Denver Nuggets during the second quarter at Ball Arena in Denver on Monday, April 22, 2024. (Photo by AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post)" width="3294" data-sizes="auto" data-src="https://i0.wp.com/www.denverpost.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/TDP-L-NUGGETS-LAKERSAO2_4410xxx.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1" data-attachment-id="6029001" data-srcset="https://i0.wp.com/www.denverpost.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/TDP-L-NUGGETS-LAKERSAO2_4410xxx.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 620w,https://i0.wp.com/www.denverpost.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/TDP-L-NUGGETS-LAKERSAO2_4410xxx.jpg?fit=780%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 780w,https://i0.wp.com/www.denverpost.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/TDP-L-NUGGETS-LAKERSAO2_4410xxx.jpg?fit=810%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 810w,https://i0.wp.com/www.denverpost.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/TDP-L-NUGGETS-LAKERSAO2_4410xxx.jpg?fit=1280%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 1280w,https://i0.wp.com/www.denverpost.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/TDP-L-NUGGETS-LAKERSAO2_4410xxx.jpg?fit=1860%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 1860w" /><figcaption class="wp-caption-text">Anthony Davis (3) of the Los Angeles Lakers shoots over Nikola Jokic (15) of the Denver Nuggets during the second quarter at Ball Arena in Denver on Monday, April 22, 2024. (Photo by AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post)</figcaption></figure>
583. <p>Jokic isn&#8217;t anywhere near as bad a defender as his quote implies, even if there&#8217;s some truth to the notion that guarding on-ball is his weakness. His strength is his understanding of spacing and angles.</p>
584. <p>The Nuggets tend to have Jokic play up at the level of the screen on pick-and-rolls, relying on rotations from other defenders underneath to cover the roller. He has excellent hands; he finished the regular season tied for sixth in the NBA at three deflections per game. And as Malone said, when Jokic doesn&#8217;t have to be glued to a matchup, his IQ is often better maximized with the luxury to roam.</p>
585. <p>With 7:15 left in the second quarter of Game 2, Jokic sank to help Justin Holiday with an off-ball paint mismatch against Hachimura. Davis got the ball at the foul line and drove into Jokic for an easy layup off the glass. The rest of the half became a nightmare. Davis got isolated against Jokic, dropped a shoulder into him and easily created enough space for a turnaround baseline jumper. He plowed into Jokic twice for hook shots in the lane. On a pick-and-roll with D&#8217;Angelo Russell, Jokic was in drop coverage, so Davis punished him with an open mid-range jumper.</p>
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615. PHOTOS: Denver Nuggets beat Los Angeles Lakers 112-105 in Game 3 of first-round NBA playoff series </span>
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638. <span class="dfm-title metered">
639. Nuggets rally from double-digit deficit in third consecutive game to take 3-0 series lead on Lakers </span>
640.  
641.  
642.  
643. </a>
646. </li></ul></aside>
647. <p>Jokic adjusted by guarding Davis tighter on the perimeter, so he had to switch onto LeBron James on a dribble handoff. James got by him and dropped it to a rolling Davis for another easy layup. Then on the same DHO from the right wing, Jokic dropped back to cover Davis sooner, but Davis curled to his spot on the left baseline again. He hit a jumper on Jokic&#8217;s face.</p>
648. <p>Fourteen points for Davis in a span of 5:25, with Jokic involved every time. No missed shots.</p>
649. <p>&#8220;Just maybe (need) to be a little more into him,&#8221; Jokic said. &#8220;Don&#8217;t let him go to his spots so easy.&#8221;</p>
650. <p>The good news is, Jokic is ripping off the most painful bandage in the first round.</p>
651. <p><em><a href="https://www.denverpost.com/newsletter-signup/nuggets-insider/">Want more Nuggets news? Sign up for the Nuggets Insider to get all our NBA analysis.</a></em></p>
652. ]]></content:encoded>
656. <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">6031739</post-id><media:content url="https://www.denverpost.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/TDP-L-NUGGETS-LAKERS_DSC9918.jpg?w=1400px&#038;strip=all" fileSize="294857" type="image/jpeg" height="150" width="150" isDefault="true"><media:description type="html"><![CDATA[ Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (15) deffends against Los Angeles Lakers forward Anthony Davis (3) in the fourth quarter during the first round of the NBA playoffs at Ball Arena in Denver on Saturday, April 20, 2024. (Photo by Andy Cross/The Denver Post) ]]></media:description></media:content>
657. <dcterms:created>2024-04-25T15:04:34+00:00</dcterms:created>
658. <dcterms:modified>2024-04-25T15:04:34+00:00</dcterms:modified>
659. </item>
660. <item>
661. <title>While Michael Malone brainstorms nickname for Jamal Murray buzzer-beater, Nuggets expect &#8220;confident&#8221; Lakers in Game 3</title>
662. <link>https://www.denverpost.com/2024/04/24/jamal-murray-buzzer-beater-nickname-lakers/</link>
664. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Bennett Durando]]></dc:creator>
665. <pubDate>Wed, 24 Apr 2024 23:52:19 +0000</pubDate>
666. <category><![CDATA[Denver Nuggets]]></category>
667. <category><![CDATA[Latest Headlines]]></category>
668. <category><![CDATA[NBA]]></category>
669. <category><![CDATA[Sports]]></category>
670. <category><![CDATA[Ball Arena]]></category>
671. <category><![CDATA[David Adelman]]></category>
672. <category><![CDATA[Denver]]></category>
673. <category><![CDATA[history]]></category>
674. <category><![CDATA[Jamal Murray]]></category>
675. <category><![CDATA[Kentavious Caldwell-Pope]]></category>
676. <category><![CDATA[Los Angeles]]></category>
677. <category><![CDATA[Michael Malone]]></category>
678. <category><![CDATA[Michael Porter]]></category>
679. <category><![CDATA[More Nuggets News]]></category>
680. <category><![CDATA[Nuggets]]></category>
681. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.denverpost.com/?p=6031185</guid>
682.  
683. <description><![CDATA[The Nuggets have attempted to maintain a healthy appreciation for the history of Jamal Murray's moment while also turning their attention to Game 3 at the Lakers.]]></description>
684. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Michael Malone&#8217;s individual film reviews this week keep encountering a distraction at the end.</p>
685. <p>His eyes wander from what&#8217;s transpiring on the court and focus instead on his team&#8217;s sideline, where the Nuggets are about to erupt into a celebration they&#8217;ll someday tell their grandchildren about.</p>
686. <p>His objective, of course, is to leave <a href="https://www.denverpost.com/2024/04/23/lakers-nuggets-game-2-jamal-murray-shot-buzzer-beater/">Jamal Murray&#8217;s Game 2 buzzer-beater</a> in the rearview mirror for the time being. Denver still needs to win twice more to eliminate the Lakers. But Malone is only human.</p>
687. <p>&#8220;I go through the film probably five times. And every time I watch it, I get just as excited,&#8221; he said Wednesday before the Nuggets flew to Los Angeles. &#8220;And not just at the shot, but the reaction. I’m looking at (lead assistant coach) David Adelman jumping in the air. (Head athletic trainer) Dan Shimensky running around like he’s a 2-year-old. The bench reaction. The fans. Fans behind the bench aren’t even watching the game. They’re watching it on the jumbotron, which is so weird to me. It’s happening right in front of you, and they&#8217;re like this.&#8221;</p>
688. <p>Malone craned his neck, mimicking the crowd.</p>
689. <p>&#8220;It was a great moment,&#8221; he continued. &#8220;Those are the moments that you will talk about and relive for 50 years from now.&#8221;</p>
690. <p>Even in the immediate aftermath of <a href="https://www.denverpost.com/2024/04/22/jamal-murray-game-winning-buzzer-beater-game-2-video/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the shot</a>, which gave Denver a 2-0 series lead in the first-round matchup, Malone and the Nuggets displayed a healthy sense of perspective for the history of the moment combined with an understanding of what they still need to accomplish. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope spoke to the team in an ecstatic postgame locker room.</p>
691. <p>&#8220;The message was just, &#8216;Take this moment. Enjoy it. We&#8217;ve got a couple days off. Tonight, enjoy this moment,'&#8221; he repeated afterward. And after Monday night: &#8220;We&#8217;ve still got business to take care of when we go to L.A. Just stay with the business mindset and let&#8217;s get it done.&#8221;</p>
692. <p>Denver is still 11 for 42 on wide-open 3-pointers in the series. Players other than Michael Porter Jr. are shooting 14 for 29 overall from beyond the arc &#8212; a dismal 23.7%. On one hand, it&#8217;s a testament to the Nuggets&#8217; imposing stature in the West and their resolve that they managed to win both home games anyway. On the other hand, as players pointed out, they were supposed to win both home games in the first place. All they&#8217;ve done entering Game 3 on Thursday (8 p.m. MT, TNT) in Los Angeles is hold serve.</p>
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734. Lakers&#8217; LeBron James lashes out at replay officials after buzzer-beater loss to Nuggets: &#8220;What are we doing?&#8221; </span>
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742.  
743. <div class="entry-section"><a href="https://www.denverpost.com/sports/nba/denver-nuggets/">Denver Nuggets | </a></div> <a class="article-title" href="https://www.denverpost.com/2024/04/23/aaron-gordon-anthony-davis-nuggets-defense-lakers-game-2/" title="Keeler: Before Nuggets&#8217; Jamal Murray ripped out Lakers&#8217; hearts, Aaron Gordon smothered their soul, taking away Anthony Davis">
745. <span class="dfm-title metered">
746. Keeler: Before Nuggets&#8217; Jamal Murray ripped out Lakers&#8217; hearts, Aaron Gordon smothered their soul, taking away Anthony Davis </span>
747.  
748.  
749.  
750. </a>
753. </li></ul></aside>
754. <p>&#8220;They&#8217;re gonna show up really aggressive,&#8221; Porter said of the Lakers. &#8220;They&#8217;ve shown they can play with us on our home floor. They&#8217;ve been up big both games. If I was on their team, I&#8217;m sure they have a lot of confidence. Just knowing that they were in the game both games, had big leads. So going back home, I&#8217;m sure they feel confident.&#8221;</p>
755. <p>The Nuggets&#8217; top priority at their pre-flight practice? Have the lead after the first quarter this time. No more double-digit deficits early in these games.</p>
756. <p>Holding a lead has its own baggage, but Malone figures they can cross that bridge when they get there.</p>
757. <p>“History would tell you that when we have a big lead, we tend to relax. And we tend to abandon what afforded us the lead that we had,&#8221; he said. &#8220;So when you’re down by 20, you become urgent, you become desperate, you become hungry.&#8221;</p>
758. <p>His late father, <a href="https://www.denverpost.com/2024/04/20/nuggets-coach-michael-malone-father-biggest-supporter/">Brendan Malone, used to always tell him</a> he felt nervous watching the game whenever Denver took a big lead.</p>
759. <figure id="attachment_6029136"  class="wp-caption aligncenter size-article_inline"><img decoding="async" class=" lazyautosizes lazyload" src="https://i0.wp.com/www.denverpost.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/TDP-L-NUGGETS-LAKERSAO2_4718xxx.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1" sizes="740px" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/www.denverpost.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/TDP-L-NUGGETS-LAKERSAO2_4718xxx.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 620w,https://i0.wp.com/www.denverpost.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/TDP-L-NUGGETS-LAKERSAO2_4718xxx.jpg?fit=780%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 780w,https://i0.wp.com/www.denverpost.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/TDP-L-NUGGETS-LAKERSAO2_4718xxx.jpg?fit=810%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 810w,https://i0.wp.com/www.denverpost.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/TDP-L-NUGGETS-LAKERSAO2_4718xxx.jpg?fit=1280%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 1280w,https://i0.wp.com/www.denverpost.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/TDP-L-NUGGETS-LAKERSAO2_4718xxx.jpg?fit=1860%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 1860w" alt="Denver Nuggets draws up a play in a game in which his team trailed by as many as 20 to the Los Angeles Lakers during the third quarter at Ball Arena in Denver on Monday, April 22, 2024. Malone later told members of the media that he does not have a 20-point play to rely on in a game like that. (Photo by AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post)" width="6523" data-sizes="auto" data-src="https://i0.wp.com/www.denverpost.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/TDP-L-NUGGETS-LAKERSAO2_4718xxx.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1" data-attachment-id="6029136" data-srcset="https://i0.wp.com/www.denverpost.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/TDP-L-NUGGETS-LAKERSAO2_4718xxx.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 620w,https://i0.wp.com/www.denverpost.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/TDP-L-NUGGETS-LAKERSAO2_4718xxx.jpg?fit=780%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 780w,https://i0.wp.com/www.denverpost.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/TDP-L-NUGGETS-LAKERSAO2_4718xxx.jpg?fit=810%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 810w,https://i0.wp.com/www.denverpost.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/TDP-L-NUGGETS-LAKERSAO2_4718xxx.jpg?fit=1280%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 1280w,https://i0.wp.com/www.denverpost.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/TDP-L-NUGGETS-LAKERSAO2_4718xxx.jpg?fit=1860%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 1860w" /><figcaption class="wp-caption-text">Denver Nuggets draws up a play in a game in which his team trailed by as many as 20 to the Los Angeles Lakers during the third quarter at Ball Arena in Denver on Monday, April 22, 2024.  (Photo by AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post)</figcaption></figure>
760. <p>&#8220;So hopefully we get a lead,&#8221; Malone said, &#8220;but it’s not too big of a lead.”</p>
761. <p>In the meantime, looking back at the film of Game 2 is maybe worth the victory lap.</p>
762. <p>&#8220;It was a hell of a play and one of those shots. Has a nickname been given to it yet?&#8221; Malone asked. One was suggested to him: The Shot at 5280. &#8220;That’s a lot. We’ve gotta work on that. I’m gonna come up with something better than &#8216;The shot at 5280.'&#8221;</p>
763. <p><em><a href="https://www.denverpost.com/newsletter-signup/nuggets-insider/">Want more Nuggets news? Sign up for the Nuggets Insider to get all our NBA analysis.</a></em></p>
764. ]]></content:encoded>
768. <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">6031185</post-id><media:content url="https://www.denverpost.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/TDP-L-NUGGETS-LAKERS_AO29358xxx.jpg?w=1400px&#038;strip=all" fileSize="238049" type="image/jpeg" height="150" width="150" isDefault="true"><media:description type="html"><![CDATA[ Jamal Murray (27) of the Denver Nuggets hugs Aaron Gordon (50) after Murray knocked down a game-winning shot over Anthony Davis (3) of the Los Angeles Lakers in the fourth quarter of the Nuggets’ 101-99 win at Ball Arena in Denver on Monday, April 22, 2024. (Photo by AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post) ]]></media:description></media:content>
769. <dcterms:created>2024-04-24T17:52:19+00:00</dcterms:created>
770. <dcterms:modified>2024-04-24T18:45:37+00:00</dcterms:modified>
771. </item>
772. <item>
773. <title>Nuggets Podcast: Jamal Murray&#8217;s buzzer-beater, Aaron Gordon&#8217;s lockdown defense and an epic playoff win over the Lakers</title>
774. <link>https://www.denverpost.com/2024/04/23/nuggets-podcast-jamal-murray-buzzer-beater-lakers-playoffs/</link>
776. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Matt Schubert, Bennett Durando, AAron Ontiveroz]]></dc:creator>
777. <pubDate>Wed, 24 Apr 2024 00:04:54 +0000</pubDate>
778. <category><![CDATA[Denver Nuggets]]></category>
779. <category><![CDATA[Latest Headlines]]></category>
780. <category><![CDATA[NBA]]></category>
781. <category><![CDATA[Sports]]></category>
782. <category><![CDATA[Anthony Davis]]></category>
783. <category><![CDATA[Jamal Murray]]></category>
784. <category><![CDATA[More Nuggets News]]></category>
785. <category><![CDATA[Nuggets]]></category>
786. <category><![CDATA[Nuggets Ink podcast]]></category>
787. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.denverpost.com/?p=6030065</guid>
788.  
789. <description><![CDATA[In the latest edition of the Nuggets Ink podcast, beat writer Bennett Durando and sports editor Matt Schubert reconvene after Jamal Murray's buzzer-beating game-winner over Anthony Davis against the Lakers.]]></description>
790. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><iframe title="Jamal Murray&#039;s buzzer-beater, Aaron Gordon&#039;s defense and an epic playoff win over the Lakers by Nuggets Ink" width="500" height="400" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?visual=true&#038;url=https%3A%2F%2Fapi.soundcloud.com%2Ftracks%2F1806483285&#038;show_artwork=true&#038;maxheight=750&#038;maxwidth=500"></iframe></p>
791. <p>In the latest edition of the Nuggets Ink podcast, beat writer Bennett Durando and sports editor Matt Schubert reconvene after Jamal Murray&#8217;s buzzer-beating game-winner over Anthony Davis and the Lakers. Among the topics discussed:</p>
792. <ul>
793. <li>Jamal Murray has an all-time postseason resume that keeps growing. Is the killer over Davis the best of his shots to date?</li>
794. <li>Down 20 with 10 minutes to play in the third quarter, the Nuggets erupted to beat the Lakers for the 10th straight time. Will the Nuggets sweep or can L.A. muster something, anything to push the series to five games?</li>
795. <li>Do the Nuggets need to make any adjustments for Game 3 to avoid another double-digit deficit or is the game plan simply: Win by any means necessary?</li>
796. <li>Matt asks, yet again, who can challenge the Nuggets in the West? Bennett gives a revealing answer, while also shedding light on his mysterious NBA season awards ballot.</li>
797. <li>Bennett trolls loyal listeners, yet again, as he goes inside baseball and talks about a Toronto Blue Jays game.</li>
798. </ul>
799. <p><strong>Subscribe to the podcast</strong><br />
800. <strong><a href="https://soundcloud.com/nuggetspodcast">SoundCloud</a> | <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/nuggets-ink/id1340404621?mt=2">iTunes</a> | <a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/6GeKxePNZXCJHbrE4yTe2k?si=l6SFF4xuQx6LeH23tLc5_A" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Spotify</a> | <a href="https://music.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLSIh8dZJvvLVwk1sx7rIkhBvrxlxq8JUk" target="_blank" rel="noopener">YouTube Music</a> | <a href="http://feeds.soundcloud.com/users/soundcloud:users:287723305/sounds.rss">RSS</a></strong></p>
801. <p><em><strong>Producer</strong>: AAron Ontiveroz</em><br />
802. <em><strong>Music</strong>: &#8220;The Last Dragons&#8221; by Schama Noel</em></p>
803. <p><em><a href="https://www.denverpost.com/newsletter-signup/nuggets-insider/">Want more Nuggets news? Sign up for the Nuggets Insider to get all our NBA analysis.</a></em></p>
804. ]]></content:encoded>
808. <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">6030065</post-id><media:content url="https://www.denverpost.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/TDP-L-NUGGETS-LAKERS_AO29603xxx.jpg?w=1400px&#038;strip=all" fileSize="269237" type="image/jpeg" height="150" width="150" isDefault="true"><media:description type="html"><![CDATA[ Jamal Murray (27) of the Denver Nuggets celebrates his buzzer-beating game-winning shot over Anthony Davis (3) of the Los Angeles Lakers after the fourth quarter of the Nuggets’ 101-99 win at Ball Arena in Denver on Monday, April 22, 2024. (Photo by AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post) ]]></media:description></media:content>
809. <dcterms:created>2024-04-23T18:04:54+00:00</dcterms:created>
810. <dcterms:modified>2024-04-23T18:06:25+00:00</dcterms:modified>
811. </item>
812. <item>
813. <title>Social media video appears to show Nikola Jokic&#8217;s brother punching another fan at Monday&#8217;s game</title>
814. <link>https://www.denverpost.com/2024/04/23/video-viral-nikola-jokic-denver-nuggets-game-brother-punch/</link>
816. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Saja Hindi]]></dc:creator>
817. <pubDate>Tue, 23 Apr 2024 16:46:30 +0000</pubDate>
818. <category><![CDATA[Colorado News]]></category>
819. <category><![CDATA[Crime and Public Safety]]></category>
820. <category><![CDATA[Denver Nuggets]]></category>
821. <category><![CDATA[Latest Headlines]]></category>
822. <category><![CDATA[NBA]]></category>
823. <category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
824. <category><![CDATA[Sports]]></category>
825. <category><![CDATA[Ball Arena]]></category>
826. <category><![CDATA[Denver Police Department]]></category>
827. <category><![CDATA[More Nuggets News]]></category>
828. <category><![CDATA[Nikola Jokic]]></category>
829. <category><![CDATA[Nuggets]]></category>
830. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.denverpost.com/?p=6029481</guid>
831.  
832. <description><![CDATA[A video that appears to show one of the brothers of Denver Nuggets star Nikola Jokic punching a fan after the game vs. the Los Angeles Lakers on Monday has gone viral on social media.]]></description>
833. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>A video that appears to show one of the brothers of Nuggets star Nikola Jokic punching a fan after the team&#8217;s game vs. the Los Angeles Lakers on Monday has <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZTLmL5xgW/">gone viral on social media</a>.</p>
834. <p>A TikTok video posted following the game at Ball Arena displays text that says, &#8220;Jokic brothers going wild,&#8221; with a flushed-face emoji. It shows two men — identified as Nikola Jokic&#8217;s brothers Strahinja and Nemanja Jokic — in the stands scrambling to get to another man in a row below them. As someone yells &#8220;beat him&#8221; and shouts an expletive, it appears that Strahinja Jokic punches the man sitting lower in the stands.</p>
835. <aside class="related right"><h2 class="widget-title" data-curated-ids="6028880,6029162,6029185,6028963,6028453,6029174" data-relation-type="curated">Related Articles</h2><ul><li>
836.  
837. <div class="entry-section"><a href="https://www.denverpost.com/sports/nba/denver-nuggets/">Denver Nuggets | </a></div> <a class="article-title" href="https://www.denverpost.com/2024/04/22/jamal-murray-buzzer-beater-nuggets-lakers-game-2/" title="Jamal Murray stuns Lakers with fadeaway buzzer-beater to hand Nuggets Game 2 win">
839. <span class="dfm-title metered">
840. Jamal Murray stuns Lakers with fadeaway buzzer-beater to hand Nuggets Game 2 win </span>
841.  
842.  
843.  
844. </a>
847. </li><li>
848.  
849. <div class="entry-section"><a href="https://www.denverpost.com/sports/nba/denver-nuggets/">Denver Nuggets | </a></div> <a class="article-title" href="https://www.denverpost.com/2024/04/23/aaron-gordon-anthony-davis-nuggets-defense-lakers-game-2/" title="Keeler: Before Nuggets&#8217; Jamal Murray ripped out Lakers&#8217; hearts, Aaron Gordon smothered their soul, taking away Anthony Davis">
851. <span class="dfm-title metered">
852. Keeler: Before Nuggets&#8217; Jamal Murray ripped out Lakers&#8217; hearts, Aaron Gordon smothered their soul, taking away Anthony Davis </span>
853.  
854.  
855.  
856. </a>
859. </li><li>
860.  
861. <div class="entry-section"><a href="https://www.denverpost.com/sports/nba/denver-nuggets/">Denver Nuggets | </a></div> <a class="article-title" href="https://www.denverpost.com/2024/04/23/lakers-nuggets-game-2-jamal-murray-shot-buzzer-beater/" title="Jamal Murray&#8217;s greatest shot: Before buzzer beater to stun Lakers, Murray needed encouragement from Nuggets">
863. <span class="dfm-title premium">
864. Jamal Murray&#8217;s greatest shot: Before buzzer beater to stun Lakers, Murray needed encouragement from Nuggets </span>
865.  
866.  
867.  
868. </a>
871. </li><li>
872.  
873. <div class="entry-section"><a href="https://www.denverpost.com/sports/nba/denver-nuggets/">Denver Nuggets | </a></div> <a class="article-title" href="https://www.denverpost.com/2024/04/22/jamal-murray-game-winning-buzzer-beater-game-2-video/" title="WATCH: Jamal Murray nails game-winning buzzer beater to lift Nuggets over Lakers in Game 2">
875. <span class="dfm-title metered">
876. WATCH: Jamal Murray nails game-winning buzzer beater to lift Nuggets over Lakers in Game 2 </span>
877.  
878.  
879.  
880. </a>
883. </li><li>
884.  
885. <div class="entry-section"><a href="https://www.denverpost.com/sports/nba/denver-nuggets/">Denver Nuggets | </a></div> <a class="article-title" href="https://www.denverpost.com/2024/04/22/nuggets-lakers-gamd-2-nba-playoffs-round-1-photos/" title="PHOTOS: Denver Nuggets top Los Angeles Lakers 101-99 in Game 2 of first-round NBA playoff series">
887. <span class="dfm-title metered">
888. PHOTOS: Denver Nuggets top Los Angeles Lakers 101-99 in Game 2 of first-round NBA playoff series </span>
889.  
890.  
891.  
892. </a>
895. </li><li>
896.  
897. <div class="entry-section"><a href="https://www.denverpost.com/sports/nba/denver-nuggets/">Denver Nuggets | </a></div> <a class="article-title" href="https://www.denverpost.com/2024/04/23/lakers-lebron-james-replay-officials-nuggets-playoff-loss/" title="Lakers&#8217; LeBron James lashes out at replay officials after buzzer-beater loss to Nuggets: &#8220;What are we doing?&#8221;">
899. <span class="dfm-title metered">
900. Lakers&#8217; LeBron James lashes out at replay officials after buzzer-beater loss to Nuggets: &#8220;What are we doing?&#8221; </span>
901.  
902.  
903.  
904. </a>
907. </li></ul></aside>
908. <p>It&#8217;s unclear what caused the altercation Monday. In one comment on the TikTok video, a person who was at the game claimed to have seen the fight and said the fan who was punched had harassed Nikola Jokic&#8217;s wife and child, who were also in the stands for the game. </p>
909. <p>Denver Nuggets spokesman Nick O&#8217;Hayre, Kroenke Sports &amp; Entertainment spokesman Jim Mulvihill and the NBA did not return requests for comment on Tuesday. The NBA <a href="https://theathletic.com/5439153/2024/04/23/nikola-jokic-brother-fan-altercation-lakers-nuggets/?redirected=1&amp;access_token=15616580&amp;isNewUser=1">confirmed to The Athletic</a> that it was looking into the incident.</p>
910. <p>Earlier this year, Kroenke Sports &amp; Entertainment <a href="https://www.denverpost.com/2024/04/05/denver-nuggets-season-tickets-revoked-vicki-ray-kroenke-sports/">banned a superfan</a> from Denver Nuggets games and revoked her season tickets over allegations that she grabbed a referee and hit a player in the face. She is now <a href="https://www.denverpost.com/2024/04/22/denver-nuggets-superfan-vicki-ray-lawsuit-kroenke-sports-entertainment-tickets-ban-lawsuit/">suing Kroenke&#8217;s owner</a>.</p>
911. <p>Denver Police Department spokesperson Jay Casillas said on Tuesday afternoon that the agency is aware of the video from Monday&#8217;s game, but the incident wasn&#8217;t reported to officers at the arena or after the game, and no one has since come forward to police as a victim of the assault.</p>
912. <p>&#8220;The department is looking into this incident, is actively working to identify the person in the video who was struck, and encourages anyone who was involved or witnessed this firsthand to contact the Denver Police Department,&#8221; Casillas wrote in an email.</p>
913. <p>Strahinja and Nemanja Jokic often attend their younger brother&#8217;s games and are <a href="https://www.denverpost.com/2023/05/31/nikola-jokic-markieff-morris-shove-jimmy-butler-fight-heat-nuggets/">known to get heated</a>. During one game, a security guard had to <a href="https://www.denverpost.com/2017/04/13/nikola-jokic-denver-nuggets-mark-kiszla/">restrain Strahinja Jokic</a> after he became angry at a referee.</p>
914. <p>In 2019, Strahinja Jokic was <a href="https://www.denverpost.com/2019/10/01/nikola-jokic-brother-arrested-assault/">arrested in Denver</a> over allegations that he choked and pushed a woman, and that he prevented her from calling 911. He pleaded guilty in 2020 and received a deferred sentence, meaning the case would be dismissed if he followed the terms of his probation and didn&#8217;t commit another crime before Feb. 3, 2022.</p>
915. <p><em><a href="https://www.denverpost.com/newsletter-signup/nuggets-insider/">Want more Nuggets news? Sign up for the Nuggets Insider to get all our NBA analysis.</a></em></p>
916. ]]></content:encoded>
920. <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">6029481</post-id><media:content url="https://www.denverpost.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/TDP-L-NUGGETS-LAKERSAO2_5698xxx.jpg?w=1400px&#038;strip=all" fileSize="442892" type="image/jpeg" height="150" width="150" isDefault="true"><media:description type="html"><![CDATA[ DENVER NUGGETS VS LOS ANGELES LAKERS, NBA PLAYOFFS ]]></media:description></media:content>
921. <dcterms:created>2024-04-23T10:46:30+00:00</dcterms:created>
922. <dcterms:modified>2024-04-23T17:47:00+00:00</dcterms:modified>
923. </item>
924. <item>
925. <title>Jamal Murray&#8217;s greatest shot: Before buzzer beater to stun Lakers, Murray needed encouragement from Nuggets</title>
926. <link>https://www.denverpost.com/2024/04/23/lakers-nuggets-game-2-jamal-murray-shot-buzzer-beater/</link>
928. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Bennett Durando]]></dc:creator>
929. <pubDate>Tue, 23 Apr 2024 16:26:45 +0000</pubDate>
930. <category><![CDATA[Denver Nuggets]]></category>
931. <category><![CDATA[Latest Headlines]]></category>
932. <category><![CDATA[NBA]]></category>
933. <category><![CDATA[Sports]]></category>
934. <category><![CDATA[Jamal Murray]]></category>
935. <category><![CDATA[keywee]]></category>
936. <category><![CDATA[More Nuggets News]]></category>
937. <category><![CDATA[NBA playoffs]]></category>
938. <category><![CDATA[Nuggets]]></category>
939. <category><![CDATA[Nuggets highlights]]></category>
940. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.denverpost.com/?p=6029185</guid>
941.  
942. <description><![CDATA[To understand how Jamal Murray can suddenly get so hot when he needs to rally, start with a backpack.]]></description>
943. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>In the Denver Nuggets&#8217; practice gym, a backpack was on the line. A designer backpack with a speaker built into it. An NBA star player&#8217;s backpack.</p>
944. <p>Four of Jamal Murray&#8217;s high school friends and basketball teammates were visiting him in Denver. It was still early in his NBA career, and he was showing them his office. They had made plans to play pickup together, like old times, so Murray upped the stakes by suggesting they play King of the Court for the backpack. &#8220;Say less,&#8221; Josiah Riley told him. &#8220;I&#8217;m with it.&#8221;</p>
945. <p>Standard rules. Rotating one-on-one matchups. If you get a stop, you get the ball. He who scores gets to stay on offense while a new defender replaces the previous one. Everyone else waits their turn to get back on the court. First to 11 buckets wins.</p>
946. <div style="font-style: italic;border-left: 7px solid #8e1024;margin-left: 15px;padding-left: 8px"><strong>RELATED:</strong> <a href="https://www.denverpost.com/2024/04/23/aaron-gordon-anthony-davis-nuggets-defense-lakers-game-2/">Keeler: Before Nuggets’ Jamal Murray ripped out Lakers’ hearts, Aaron Gordon smothered their soul, taking away Anthony Davis</a></div>
947. <p>Murray was the only NBA player in the group. But he was struggling to make shots. One of Murray&#8217;s friends — one who stands 6-foot-10 — got to 10 points while Murray had only seven.</p>
948. <p>What happened next?</p>
949. <p>&#8220;It was the wildest thing I&#8217;ve seen,&#8221; Riley said.</p>
950. <aside class="related right"><h2 class="widget-title" data-curated-ids="6029162,6028963,6029174,6028880" data-relation-type="curated">Related Articles</h2><ul><li>
951.  
952. <div class="entry-section"><a href="https://www.denverpost.com/sports/nba/denver-nuggets/">Denver Nuggets | </a></div> <a class="article-title" href="https://www.denverpost.com/2024/04/23/aaron-gordon-anthony-davis-nuggets-defense-lakers-game-2/" title="Keeler: Before Nuggets&#8217; Jamal Murray ripped out Lakers&#8217; hearts, Aaron Gordon smothered their soul, taking away Anthony Davis">
954. <span class="dfm-title metered">
955. Keeler: Before Nuggets&#8217; Jamal Murray ripped out Lakers&#8217; hearts, Aaron Gordon smothered their soul, taking away Anthony Davis </span>
956.  
957.  
958.  
959. </a>
962. </li><li>
963.  
964. <div class="entry-section"><a href="https://www.denverpost.com/sports/nba/denver-nuggets/">Denver Nuggets | </a></div> <a class="article-title" href="https://www.denverpost.com/2024/04/22/jamal-murray-game-winning-buzzer-beater-game-2-video/" title="WATCH: Jamal Murray nails game-winning buzzer beater to lift Nuggets over Lakers in Game 2">
966. <span class="dfm-title metered">
967. WATCH: Jamal Murray nails game-winning buzzer beater to lift Nuggets over Lakers in Game 2 </span>
968.  
969.  
970.  
971. </a>
974. </li><li>
975.  
976. <div class="entry-section"><a href="https://www.denverpost.com/sports/nba/denver-nuggets/">Denver Nuggets | </a></div> <a class="article-title" href="https://www.denverpost.com/2024/04/23/lakers-lebron-james-replay-officials-nuggets-playoff-loss/" title="Lakers&#8217; LeBron James lashes out at replay officials after buzzer-beater loss to Nuggets: &#8220;What are we doing?&#8221;">
978. <span class="dfm-title metered">
979. Lakers&#8217; LeBron James lashes out at replay officials after buzzer-beater loss to Nuggets: &#8220;What are we doing?&#8221; </span>
980.  
981.  
982.  
983. </a>
986. </li><li>
987.  
988. <div class="entry-section"><a href="https://www.denverpost.com/sports/nba/denver-nuggets/">Denver Nuggets | </a></div> <a class="article-title" href="https://www.denverpost.com/2024/04/22/jamal-murray-buzzer-beater-nuggets-lakers-game-2/" title="Jamal Murray stuns Lakers with fadeaway buzzer-beater to hand Nuggets Game 2 win">
990. <span class="dfm-title metered">
991. Jamal Murray stuns Lakers with fadeaway buzzer-beater to hand Nuggets Game 2 win </span>
992.  
993.  
994.  
995. </a>
998. </li></ul></aside>
999. <p>Downstairs on the main court, and a few years later on Monday night, Murray was &#8220;spazzing,&#8221; as one Nuggets teammate described him. The 27-year-old with an ironclad playoff reputation was trapped in the middle of the worst playoff performance of his career. The Nuggets weren&#8217;t getting blown out by the Lakers in Game 2 of the first-round series. Not anymore, anyway. Nikola Jokic and company had sliced a 20-point deficit to 10 in spite of Murray. There was no choice but to play through the nightmare. Everyone in Denver was brimming with momentum. Except Murray.</p>
1000. <p>He was 3 for 16 from the field for six points. A man of unshakable confidence, shaken.</p>
1001. <p>&#8220;I don&#8217;t want to see &#8216;Spazzing Out Jamal&#8217; again,&#8221; Murray said later that night.</p>
1002. <p>Because what happened next? It was as wild as anything Nuggets fans have ever seen.</p>
1003. <p>Murray shot 6 for 8 in the fourth quarter, scoring 14 unforgettable points in the last 10 minutes to pull off a <a href="https://www.denverpost.com/2024/04/22/jamal-murray-buzzer-beater-nuggets-lakers-game-2/">101-99 win over the Lakers</a> that might be remembered years from now as a defining moment of his career. He tied Los Angeles at 97 by getting to the foul line with 58 seconds remaining. He stepped back for a long 2-pointer with 29 seconds left to bring Game 2 to a deadlock again, this time at 99. And he <a href="https://www.denverpost.com/2024/04/22/jamal-murray-game-winning-buzzer-beater-game-2-video/">drained the shot of his life over Anthony Davis</a> as time expired to complete a six-point final minute and hand the Nuggets a 2-0 series lead.</p>
1004. <p>He never saw his buzzer beater go in.</p>
1005. <p>&#8220;I jumped pretty high,&#8221; Murray said. &#8220;I faded a lot. And I just lost balance and fell. And I just saw the ball over the rim. I think A.D. was in my way. Or somebody was in my way. And I just heard everybody scream, and that&#8217;s how I knew it went in. That was a pretty cool moment.&#8221;</p>
1006. <figure id="attachment_6029083"  class="wp-caption aligncenter size-article_inline"><img decoding="async" class=" lazyautosizes lazyload" src="https://i0.wp.com/www.denverpost.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/TDP-L-NUGGETS-LAKERSAO2_6886xxx.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1" alt="Jamal Murray (27) of the Denver Nuggets takes a step before stepping back and hitting the game-winning shot over Anthony Davis (3) of the Los Angeles Lakers during the fourth quarter of the Nuggets' 101-99 win at Ball Arena in Denver on Monday, April 22, 2024. (Photo by AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post)" width="6529" data-sizes="auto" data-src="https://i0.wp.com/www.denverpost.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/TDP-L-NUGGETS-LAKERSAO2_6886xxx.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1" data-attachment-id="6029083" data-srcset="https://i0.wp.com/www.denverpost.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/TDP-L-NUGGETS-LAKERSAO2_6886xxx.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 620w,https://i0.wp.com/www.denverpost.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/TDP-L-NUGGETS-LAKERSAO2_6886xxx.jpg?fit=780%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 780w,https://i0.wp.com/www.denverpost.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/TDP-L-NUGGETS-LAKERSAO2_6886xxx.jpg?fit=810%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 810w,https://i0.wp.com/www.denverpost.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/TDP-L-NUGGETS-LAKERSAO2_6886xxx.jpg?fit=1280%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 1280w,https://i0.wp.com/www.denverpost.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/TDP-L-NUGGETS-LAKERSAO2_6886xxx.jpg?fit=1860%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 1860w" /><figcaption class="wp-caption-text">Jamal Murray (27) of the Denver Nuggets takes a step before stepping back and hitting the game-winning shot over Anthony Davis (3) of the Los Angeles Lakers during the fourth quarter of the Nuggets’ 101-99 win at Ball Arena in Denver on Monday, April 22, 2024. (Photo by AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post)</figcaption></figure>
1007. <p>In order to understand Murray&#8217;s brain, start with the backpack. Needing four consecutive points just to keep his own property, he picked up the ball and pointed to his friends.</p>
1008. <p>As Riley remembers it, &#8220;he literally counted us off. He looked at the four of us, and he said, &#8216;Eight. Nine. Ten. Game.&#8217; And all four of us stood there like, &#8216;What? That&#8217;s disrespectful. Check it up. Let&#8217;s go.'&#8221;</p>
1009. <p>Murray told his first challenger exactly what he was going to do: take two dribbles to the left, turn his back to the defender, then make a turnaround jump shot. &#8220;Sure enough, he took the ball up top,&#8221; Riley said. &#8220;Jamal took one, two dribbles. He turned his back to him. And he turned around, shot the ball, and it went in. We were all like, &#8216;Oh my goodness.'&#8221; That&#8217;s eight.</p>
1010. <p>The next guy stepped up. &#8220;For you, I&#8217;m gonna do the same thing,&#8221; Murray told him. He checked it up and went straight into his move to the left. The shot was automatic this time. Conjuring bravado out of nowhere had turned the game around. &#8220;And now,&#8221; Riley remembers, &#8220;we&#8217;re like, &#8216;Oh my gosh, this is getting serious.'&#8221; Murray was the king of the court now. That&#8217;s nine.</p>
1011. <p>The Lakers&#8217; lead was 68-48 exactly two minutes after halftime Monday. Six minutes later, it was 74-61, and Denver was running in transition. The ball found Murray. He clanked an open 3-pointer.</p>
1012. <p>It was during that third quarter when Murray reached his brief low-point, the nadir known as &#8220;Spazzing Out Jamal.&#8221; He started telling Jokic, &#8220;On pick and roll, I&#8217;m looking for you.&#8221; He repeated the same sentiment to other teammates: that he was going to stop pulling the trigger and start passing more for them. It was met with adamant objection. On the bench, even two-way guard Collin Gillespie, who&#8217;s ineligible to play in the playoffs, told Murray he was going to make a clutch shot.</p>
1013. <p>&#8220;I just remind him who he is. He&#8217;s Jamal (freaking) Murray,&#8221; DeAndre Jordan told The Denver Post. &#8220;Regardless of how he feels he played, we still need him to be aggressive.&#8221;</p>
1014. <p>&#8220;If it wasn&#8217;t for my teammates, then it could have been a different game,&#8221; Murray said. &#8220;I appreciate every single one of them. Every single one of them told me to keep shooting. You should have been in the huddles, hearing the amount of &#8216;keep shooting&#8217; I was getting. I was kind of getting frustrated with them, because I just wanted them to be quiet.&#8221;</p>
1015. <p>By the time a third friend was trying to stop Murray one-on-one, his confidence was completely revived. &#8220;He&#8217;s like, &#8216;For you, we&#8217;ll do something a little different. Instead of turning my back to you, I&#8217;m gonna do a half-turn step-back,'&#8221; Riley said. Murray did the move. He made the shot. That&#8217;s 10.</p>
1016. <p>Malone only waited two minutes and 18 seconds after the fourth quarter started to sub Jokic back into the action. It was a clear indication of Denver&#8217;s desperation to avoid a split at home. Murray hadn&#8217;t attempted a shot during the bench minutes. But with his longtime partner back, he received a dribble handoff and finished a nifty reverse layup on the drive. It clipped the deficit to 82-75.</p>
1017. <figure id="attachment_6029105"  class="wp-caption aligncenter size-article_inline"><img decoding="async" class=" lazyautosizes lazyload" src="https://i0.wp.com/www.denverpost.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/TDP-L-NUGGETS-LAKERSAO1_4822xxx.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1" alt="Jamal Murray (27) of the Denver Nuggets dives for a loose ball after LeBron James (23) of the Los Angeles Lakers coughed it up and it slid through the fingers of Anthony Davis (3) during the fourth quarter of the Nuggets' 101-99 win at Ball Arena in Denver on Monday, April 22, 2024. (Photo by AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post)" width="5354" data-sizes="auto" data-src="https://i0.wp.com/www.denverpost.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/TDP-L-NUGGETS-LAKERSAO1_4822xxx.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1" data-attachment-id="6029105" data-srcset="https://i0.wp.com/www.denverpost.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/TDP-L-NUGGETS-LAKERSAO1_4822xxx.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 620w,https://i0.wp.com/www.denverpost.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/TDP-L-NUGGETS-LAKERSAO1_4822xxx.jpg?fit=780%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 780w,https://i0.wp.com/www.denverpost.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/TDP-L-NUGGETS-LAKERSAO1_4822xxx.jpg?fit=810%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 810w,https://i0.wp.com/www.denverpost.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/TDP-L-NUGGETS-LAKERSAO1_4822xxx.jpg?fit=1280%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 1280w,https://i0.wp.com/www.denverpost.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/TDP-L-NUGGETS-LAKERSAO1_4822xxx.jpg?fit=1860%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 1860w" /><figcaption class="wp-caption-text">Jamal Murray (27) of the Denver Nuggets dives for a loose ball after LeBron James (23) of the Los Angeles Lakers coughed it up and it slid through the fingers of Anthony Davis (3) during the fourth quarter of the Nuggets’ 101-99 win at Ball Arena in Denver on Monday, April 22, 2024. (Photo by AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post)</figcaption></figure>
1018. <p>Malone likes to say all Murray needs is to see the ball go in once. Mission accomplished.</p>
1019. <p>&#8220;That&#8217;s Jamal Murray right there,&#8221; Malone said afterward.</p>
1020. <p>When LeBron James missed an open three and Michael Porter Jr. reeled in the rebound, the Nuggets had an opportunity to call a timeout and set up their last play. Fourteen seconds remained. Malone let it play out instead. &#8220;Why let (the Lakers) get set?&#8221; he said.</p>
1021. <p>Even so, Denver&#8217;s coach noticed the Lakers were matching themselves up intuitively. James on Murray. Anthony Davis on Jokic. That way, they could switch against the pick-and-roll. Jokic noticed it too and tried to bring Kentavious Caldwell-Pope into the action, &#8220;just to make them play coverage.&#8221; He didn&#8217;t want it to be as simple as a switch that Los Angeles would feel comfortable making. But it didn&#8217;t work. Davis switched onto Murray. Caldwell-Pope cleared out to the left side with Denver&#8217;s other shooters.</p>
1022. <p>Murray dribbled to his spot on the right baseline, left his feet for the mid-range jumper and fell backward into the bench that had been yelling at him to keep shooting.</p>
1023. <p>&#8220;Everybody knew that I was gonna make it when it counted,&#8221; he said.</p>
1024. <p>&#8220;At the bottom of the pile, man, he was just laughing,&#8221; Christian Braun told The Post. &#8220;Literally laughing the whole time. Because he doesn&#8217;t ever struggle like this. He&#8217;s one of the best players in the world.&#8221;</p>
1025. <p>Davis, trying to contest the shot, lost balance and tumbled into the Nuggets&#8217; bench adjacent to the pile of celebrating Nuggets. When he was asked for his perspective on the play, Davis dropped the microphone and walked out of his postgame news conference after a brief answer: &#8220;Jamal Murray made a shot.&#8221;</p>
1026. <figure id="attachment_6029074"  class="wp-caption aligncenter size-article_inline"><img decoding="async" class=" lazyautosizes lazyload" src="https://i0.wp.com/www.denverpost.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/TDP-L-NUGGETS-LAKERS_AO29172xxx.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1" alt="Denver Nuggets teammates mob Jamal Murray (27) after he hit a game-winning shot at the buzzer over Anthony Davis (3) of the Los Angeles Lakers during the fourth quarter of the Nuggets' 101-99 win at Ball Arena in Denver on Monday, April 22, 2024. (Photo by AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post)" width="5489" data-sizes="auto" data-src="https://i0.wp.com/www.denverpost.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/TDP-L-NUGGETS-LAKERS_AO29172xxx.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1" data-attachment-id="6029074" data-srcset="https://i0.wp.com/www.denverpost.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/TDP-L-NUGGETS-LAKERS_AO29172xxx.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 620w,https://i0.wp.com/www.denverpost.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/TDP-L-NUGGETS-LAKERS_AO29172xxx.jpg?fit=780%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 780w,https://i0.wp.com/www.denverpost.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/TDP-L-NUGGETS-LAKERS_AO29172xxx.jpg?fit=810%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 810w,https://i0.wp.com/www.denverpost.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/TDP-L-NUGGETS-LAKERS_AO29172xxx.jpg?fit=1280%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 1280w,https://i0.wp.com/www.denverpost.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/TDP-L-NUGGETS-LAKERS_AO29172xxx.jpg?fit=1860%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 1860w" /><figcaption class="wp-caption-text">Denver Nuggets teammates mob Jamal Murray (27) after he hit a game-winning shot at the buzzer over Anthony Davis (3) of the Los Angeles Lakers during the fourth quarter of the Nuggets’ 101-99 win at Ball Arena in Denver on Monday, April 22, 2024. (Photo by AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post)</figcaption></figure>
1027. <p>Murray&#8217;s last challenger on the practice court was Kyle Alexander, the friend sitting on 10 points already. The friend who&#8217;s 6-10. Naturally, Murray revealed his boldest shot yet. He would take one dribble backward, one dribble forward, then shoot a 3-pointer in Alexander&#8217;s face. Riley was thinking, &#8220;Kyle, please, get the stop. Even if I don&#8217;t win, I don&#8217;t care. At least get the stop so you can score on one of us and get the backpack.&#8221;</p>
1028. <p>But it was too late. No wingspan was stopping Murray.</p>
1029. <p>&#8220;The ball went in,&#8221; Riley said, &#8220;and nobody got the backpack.&#8221;</p>
1030. <figure id="attachment_6029093"  class="wp-caption aligncenter size-article_inline"><img decoding="async" class=" lazyautosizes lazyload" src="https://i0.wp.com/www.denverpost.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/TDP-L-NUGGETS-LAKERS_AO29603xxx.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1" alt="Jamal Murray (27) of the Denver Nuggets celebrates his buzzer-beating game-winning shot over Anthony Davis (3) of the Los Angeles Lakers after the fourth quarter of the Nuggets' 101-99 win at Ball Arena in Denver on Monday, April 22, 2024. (Photo by AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post)" width="5168" data-sizes="auto" data-src="https://i0.wp.com/www.denverpost.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/TDP-L-NUGGETS-LAKERS_AO29603xxx.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1" data-attachment-id="6029093" data-srcset="https://i0.wp.com/www.denverpost.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/TDP-L-NUGGETS-LAKERS_AO29603xxx.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 620w,https://i0.wp.com/www.denverpost.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/TDP-L-NUGGETS-LAKERS_AO29603xxx.jpg?fit=780%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 780w,https://i0.wp.com/www.denverpost.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/TDP-L-NUGGETS-LAKERS_AO29603xxx.jpg?fit=810%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 810w,https://i0.wp.com/www.denverpost.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/TDP-L-NUGGETS-LAKERS_AO29603xxx.jpg?fit=1280%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 1280w,https://i0.wp.com/www.denverpost.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/TDP-L-NUGGETS-LAKERS_AO29603xxx.jpg?fit=1860%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 1860w" /><figcaption class="wp-caption-text">Jamal Murray (27) of the Denver Nuggets celebrates his buzzer-beating game-winning shot over Anthony Davis (3) of the Los Angeles Lakers after the fourth quarter of the Nuggets’ 101-99 win at Ball Arena in Denver on Monday, April 22, 2024. (Photo by AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post)</figcaption></figure>
1031. ]]></content:encoded>
1035. <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">6029185</post-id><media:content url="https://www.denverpost.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/TDP-L-NUGGETS-LAKERSAO2_6897xxx.jpg?w=1400px&#038;strip=all" fileSize="257926" type="image/jpeg" height="150" width="150" isDefault="true"><media:description type="html"><![CDATA[ Jamal Murray (27) of the Denver Nuggets knocks down the game-winning shot over Anthony Davis (3) of the Los Angeles Lakers during the fourth quarter of the Nuggets’ 101-99 win at Ball Arena in Denver on Monday, April 22, 2024. (Photo by AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post) ]]></media:description></media:content>
1036. <dcterms:created>2024-04-23T10:26:45+00:00</dcterms:created>
1037. <dcterms:modified>2024-04-23T18:08:38+00:00</dcterms:modified>
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