The two superstars shine! LeBron posts near triple-double, Doncic records 38+13+10, Murray's double-double goes in vain, Lakers rally to beat Nuggets

On January 21st Beijing time, during the NBA regular season, the Nuggets played at home against the Lakers. The Lakers depended mainly on LeBron James and Doncic for scoring, with their bench showing better performance than some starters. Although Jokic remained out, Murray stepped up as the key player, helping several Nuggets score in double digits. In the end, the Lakers won 115-107.

Statistical summary:

Lakers: LeBron James 19 points, 9 rebounds, 8 assists; Doncic 38 points, 13 rebounds, 10 assists; Smart 15 points; Hachimura 9 points; Hayes 9 points; Timmy 9 points

Nuggets: Murray 28 points, 11 assists; Jones 16 points; Watson 18 points; Gordon 18 points; Hardaway 10 points

Game progression:

In the first quarter, Picket hit a three-pointer to lead the Nuggets to an 8-2 start, with Ayton scoring a layup to stop the bleeding. Then Murray and Doncic exchanged three-pointers, Jones nailed another three, giving the Nuggets a 7-point lead. Doncic was hot early, shooting 5-for-5 and scoring 12 points in the quarter, but Murray was equally sharp, hitting consecutive threes, making it tough for the Lakers to close the gap. Later, Murray scored on a layup and Watson added a three-pointer, extending the Nuggets' lead to double digits. LeBron made a buzzer-beating two-pointer to end the quarter. After the first quarter, the Nuggets led 37-28 by 9 points.

In the second quarter, bench player Timmy became a surprise factor, first hitting a three-pointer, then scoring two points and grabbing a rebound, quickly cutting the Lakers' deficit to just 2 points. Hardaway scored on a mid-range jumper to stop the Lakers' momentum, and the Nuggets responded with a 10-2 run to regain a double-digit lead. After a timeout, the Lakers found their rhythm and scored 6 straight points to narrow the gap again. However, Murray took over, scoring 6 consecutive points to extend the lead, while the Lakers spread the scoring to get within 3 points once more. The last two minutes were disastrous for the Lakers as the Nuggets went on a 14-3 run, capped by Murray’s incredible deep buzzer-beating three-pointer. At halftime, the Nuggets led 71-57 by 14 points.

Coming out of the third quarter, LeBron scored on a fast break to cut the deficit, but the Nuggets responded with 4 straight points to halt the Lakers’ momentum. Then the game shifted dramatically as the Lakers found their shooting touch and went on a 15-3 run, cutting the lead to just 3 points. The rest of the quarter was tightly contested with scores exchanging back and forth. Later, Murray assisted multiple times to help the Nuggets widen the gap again. In the final moments of the quarter, LeBron scored 5 straight points to bring the deficit down to 2, but subsequent passes to teammates failed to result in baskets. The third quarter ended with the Nuggets narrowly leading 88-86.

In the final quarter, Hachimura scored a layup to tie the game. Ayton, who had to leave earlier due to a facial injury, was confirmed not to return. Hayes, who replaced him, dunked to tie the score again. Doncic made free throws, giving the Lakers their first lead of the game. Midway through the quarter, the Lakers went on a 12-0 run to pull away. Notably, after making that incredible deep three, Murray did not score again. Watson’s three-pointer finally stopped the Nuggets’ drought, followed by Gordon’s triple. LeBron’s powerful tomahawk dunk stabilized the situation. In the last minute, the Nuggets tried fouling tactics but failed. The game ended with the Lakers completing a comeback victory, 115-107 over the Nuggets.

Starting lineups for both teams:

Lakers: LeBron James, LaRavia, Ayton, Smart, Doncic

Nuggets: Jones, Watson, Gordon, Picket, Murray