Lakers Fall to Nuggets in Game 1 of Western Conference Finals
Denver takes 1-0 lead with 132-126 victory
Los Angeles faces uphill battle heading into Game 2
The Los Angeles Lakers suffered a disappointing loss in Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals, falling 132-126 to the Denver Nuggets on Monday night. Despite a valiant effort in the second half, the Lakers were unable to overcome a sluggish start and a 21-point deficit.
The Nuggets were led by Nikola Jokic, who finished with a dominant 39 points, 13 rebounds, and 9 assists. Jamal Murray added 20 points, while Aaron Gordon chipped in with 18 points and 11 rebounds. The Lakers were led by Anthony Davis, who had 35 points and 12 rebounds. LeBron James added 26 points, but he was held to just 1-of-7 shooting from 3-point range.
The Lakers face an uphill battle heading into Game 2, which will be played on Wednesday night in Denver. The Nuggets have now won the first game of a playoff series for the fourth consecutive time, and they have a 10-1 record in Game 1s since Jokic became their franchise player.
If the Lakers want to even the series, they will need to find a way to slow down Jokic and force the Nuggets into more turnovers. They will also need to improve their 3-point shooting, as they hit just 10-of-35 (28.6%) from beyond the arc in Game 1.
Game 2 of the Western Conference Finals will be played on Wednesday night at 9:00 p.m. ET on TNT.
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