Davis hits 3 at buzzer; Lakers edge Nuggets for a 2-0 lead
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — Anthony Davis made a 3-pointer as time expired to give the Los Angeles Lakers a 105-103 victory over the Denver Nuggets on Sunday night and a 2-0 lead in the Western Conference finals.
Davis finished with 31 points. He scored Los Angeles’ last 10 points and had 22 in the second half to help the Lakers avoid becoming the latest victim of a Denver comeback.
The Nuggets had trailed by as much as 16, but Nikola Jokic scored 11 straight Denver points down the stretch, including a basket that made it 103-102 with 20 seconds to play.
Alex Caruso then missed a 3-pointer and Jamal Murray blocked Danny Green’s shot out of bounds with 2.1 seconds to play. Rajon Rondo inbounded under the basket and found Davis curling toward the sideline, and the AllStar forward swished it to put the Lakers halfway to the NBA Finals.
LeBron James had 26 points and 11 rebounds for the Lakers.
Jokic had 30 points and nine assists, and Murray scored 25 points.
Game 3 is Tuesday night
DENVER (103)
Grant 3-4 0-0 7, Millsap 2-6 2-3 6, Jokic 9-20 11-12 30, Harris 1-6 0-0 3, Murray 8-19 7-8 25, Craig 1-2 1-1 3, Dozier 1-2 1-5 3, Porter Jr. 6-9 1-2 15, Plumlee 1-2 0-0 2, Mo.Morris 3-4 2-2 9. Totals 35-74 25-33 103.
L.A. LAKERS (105)
Davis 11-23 7-7 31, James 10-20 3-4 26, McGee 1-3 1-1 3, Caldwell-Pope 3-6 2-2 11, Green 4-14 0-0 11, Kuzma 3-7 2-2 8, Ma.Morris 0-0 0-0 0, Howard 1-1 1-1 3, Caruso 3-6 2-2 9, Rondo 1-3 0-0 3. Totals 37-83 18-19 105.
Denver 21 29 28 25 — 103 L.A. Lakers 29 31 22 23 — 105
3-Point Goals—Denver 8-24 (Porter Jr. 2-4, Murray 2-9, Harris 1-3, Jokic 1-4), L.A. Lakers 13-36 (Caldwell-Pope 3-5, James 3-8, Green 3-10, Davis 2-4, Rondo 1-2, Caruso 1-4, Kuzma 0-3). Fouled Out—None. Rebounds—Denver 31 (Millsap 8), L.A. Lakers 44 (James 11). Assists— Denver 22 (Jokic 9), L.A. Lakers 23 (Rondo 9).