The Los Angeles Lakers have avoided getting swept by the Denver Nuggets for the second consecutive postseason. Facing elimination and another embarrassment in Game 4 of their first-round series against the Nuggets on Saturday night, the Lakers displayed a remarkable resilience and came up with a 119-108 win.

Prior to Saturday, the Lakers lost 11 consecutive games against the Nuggets. They were swept in the 2023 Western Conference Finals, lost all four regular-season games in the 2023-24 season, and then fell down 3-0 at the start of this year’s playoff series.

But in Game 4, the Lakers found a spark. They finished the first quarter with a five-point lead and never trailed again. LA’s superstar LeBron James led the way with 30 points, five rebounds, and four assists, while Anthony Davis added 25 points and 23 rebounds. This proved enough to overcome another monster outing by Nuggets’ superstar Nikola Jokic, who had 33 points, 14 rebounds, and 14 assists.

Speaking with reports after the game, James said that the Lakers gave themselves “another life” with a win.

“The only opportunity for us is just to play the next game,” LeBron James said. “And we’ve given ourselves another life. We’ve given ourselves another lifeline, and it’s a one-game series for us.”

However, the Lakers are still facing a massive challenge. In order to advance to the second round, they would need to become the first team in NBA history to overcome a 3-0 deficit in a playoff series. The Lakers and the Nuggets are playing again on Monday night in another elimination game for the LA team.

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The Denver Nuggets are rewarding head coach Michael Malone for winning the first NBA title for the franchise last season. According to ESPN’s NBA Insider Adrian Wojnarowski, Malone has received a new contract extension that makes him one of the league’s highest-paid coaches.

The details of the agreement are still unknown, but it is believed that the extension ties Malone to the Nuggets at least through the 2026-27 season. He is currently the fourth longest-serving head coach in the NBA behind  San Antonio Spurs’ Gregg Popovich, Miami Heat’s Erik Spoelstra, and Golden State Warriors’ Steve Kerr.

If the reports about the financial package are correct, he will likely earn north of $10 million annually. Currently, the highest-paid coaches in the NBA are Popovich, who signed a five-year, $80 million contract extension in the summer, and Monty Williams, who agreed to a six-year, $78.5 million deal in June to coach the Detroit Pistons.

Michael Malone started his NBA coaching career in the early 2000s with the New York Knicks. After serving as an assistant with several other franchises, including the Cleveland Cavaliers, Malone was hired as the head coach of the Sacramento Kings in 2013. He spent just over one year with the Kings, posting 28 – 54 in his first season and being fired after going 11-13 to start the 2014–15 campaign.

Malone received a chance for redemption from the Nuggets, who hired him ahead of the 2015–16 season. While his early years with the franchise were full of ups and downs, Malone steadied the ship in 2018–19 and led Denver to a 54-28 record and Conference Semi-finals appearances. This was followed by four more consecutive postseason trips, including winning an NBA Championship in dominant fashion in 2022-23.

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The Denver Nuggets learned some devastating news on Wednesday that might derail their hot start of the 2023-24 campaign. Reportedly, Nuggets’ All-Star guard Jamal Murray is dealing with a hamstring injury and is set to miss three to four weeks.

According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, the Nuggets are taking a cautious approach with Murray and will give him as much time as he needs to properly recover.

“This will be something that will be longer than we would like,” Malone told reporters about Murray. “You have to have the big picture in mind and make sure we’re putting him in a position to get healthy before he comes back.”

Murray strained his hamstring during Saturday’s 123-101 win over the Chicago Bulls. He played only nine minutes, attempting three shots and scoring two points alongside two rebounds, before exiting the game.

Murray’s absence will likely be a tough blow for the Nuggets, considering he is their second-best player after superstar Nikola Jokic. The 26-year-old player hasn’t been scoring friendly to start the 2023-24 campaign, averaging 16.3 points per game, although his assists climbed to a career-high 7.4.

The Nuggets have been on a tear so far in the season, playing according to their status as NBA champions. They won seven out of their first eight games and currently own the best record in the league.

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There is no lack of optimism in the Denver Nuggets’ camp as the team prepares to start their campaign as the defending NBA champions. Speaking with reporters on Tuesday, stars Jamal Murray and Nikola Jokic said they believe the Nuggets can go all the way in 2023-24 as well.

“I just think we can do it again,” Murray said. “I think that’s the biggest thing, just being able to repeat and go through the adversity and ups and downs of this season. Just be ready by April and going to June.”

Jokic, who won the NBA Finals MVP honors in a 4-1 routing of the Miami Heat, has a similar opinion as Murray.

“Go get the opportunity to win another one. Probably, that’s going to be the next step for us,” said Jokic. “… Like Jamal said, like why not win again?”

Despite the Nuggets’ optimism, their road to the NBA title will likely be much harder this season than it was in 2022-23. Several of the championship contenders have significantly improved this offseason. The Phoenix Suns traded for All-Star Bradley Beal, while the Milwaukee Bucks pulled off a blockbuster trade for superstar Damian Lillard.

The Nuggets, on the other hand, remained pat. While maintaining the majority of their core players, they only signed several rotational pieces, including veteran forward Justin Holiday. On the other hand, they have seen the likes of Bruce Brown and Jeff Green leave elsewhere.

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The Denver Nuggets are the new NBA champions. The Nuggets closed out the NBA Finals series against the Miami Heat in five games with an 89-94 win on Monday night.

This is the first title for the Nuggets in what was their first appearance in the NBA finals. They previously had one appearance in ABA Finals in 1975–76. 

Game 5 didn’t start well for the Nuggets, with the Heat looking like they might extend the series. Miami held a seven-point lead at the half, and it seemed that they wouldn’t go down without a fight.

However, Denver obviously wasn’t in the mood to travel back to Miami. The Nuggets’ stars Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray then took over in the second half, hitting key shots while the entire team dialed in on the defensive end.

In the last minute of the game, with Denver up by one, the Nuggets’ swingman Kentavious Caldwell-Pope got a key steal and then converted two free throws to get his team the cushion they needed to get the job done.

Jokic ended up taking home the Larry O’Brien trophy as the NBA Finals MVP with a unanimous vote. The Serbian star center averaged 30.2 points, 14.0 rebounds, and 7.2 assists over the course of the finals.

“The job is done, and we can go home now,” Jokic said after the game.

Now that the Nuggets got their first taste of glory, they don’t intend to stop there. Denver’s head coach Mike Malone believes this is the first step in his team becoming a dynasty.

“We accomplished something this franchise has never done before, but we have a lot of young talented players in that locker room, and I think we just showed through 16 playoff wins what we’re capable of on the biggest stage in the world,” said Malone.

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The Denver Nuggets took back control of the NBA Finals series against the Heat in an impressive fashion. The Nuggets dominated the Heat in a 109-94 win in Game 3, with their star duo of Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray making history in the process.

Jokic and Murray both had 30-point triple-doubles, becoming the first duo to achieve the feat in the NBA playoffs. Jokic had 32 points, 21 rebounds, and 10 assists, while Murray finished the game with 34 points, 10 assists, and 10 rebounds to give Denver a 2-1 lead.

Nuggets’ head coach Mike Malone was full of praise for Jokic and Murray in the post-game conference.

“By far, their greatest performance as a duo in their seven years together,” Malone said.

Malone was particularly impressed with Murray, who struggled in Game 2 and missed the game-tying basket at the buzzer.

“I felt Jamal’s presence, his energy, and he was here in the moment,” Malone added. “For him and Nikola to do what they did tonight in a game that we needed to take, regain the home-court advantage of the series, was special to watch.”

Jokic and Murray will now look to do it all over again in Game 4, knowing how important it is to keep the momentum and don’t let the resilient Heat team get their grove back. The series stays in Miami, with the next game scheduled for Friday night.

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The Denver Nuggets did their best to keep the Miami Heat from stealing Game 2 on Sunday night, but their best wasn’t enough. Just like many times this postseason, the Heat found something extra late in the game to rally to a win.

The Heat entered the fourth quarter with an eight-point deficit before orchestrating a comeback to get an important 111-108 away win and tie the NBA Finals series.

Miami’s win was a true team effort, with Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo scoring 21 points each and Gabe Vincent finishing the game with 23 points. Max Strus and Duncan Robinson were also in double digits in points.

“Our guys are competitors,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said after the game. “They love these kind of moments.”

The Nuggets had another big performance by their superstar Nikola Jokic, who had 41 points, 11 rebounds, and four assists. However, he had little help from the rest of the team, especially on the defensive end of the ball.

Speaking with reporters after the game, Denver’s head coach Mike Malone called out his players for lack of effort.

“Let’s talk about effort,” Malone said. “I mean, this is the NBA Finals, and we’re talking about effort. That’s a huge concern of mine. You guys probably thought I was just making up some storyline after Game 1 when I said we didn’t play well. We didn’t play well. … This is not the preseason. This is not the regular season. This is the NBA Finals.”

The NBA Finals series now moves to Miami, with Game 3 being scheduled for Wednesday.

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The Denver Nuggets superstar Nikola Jokic delivered another signature performance on Tuesday night to lift his team to a 118-102 win over the Phoenix Suns in Game 5 of the Western Conference semifinals. Jokic finished the contest with 29 points, 13 rebounds, and 12 assists and managed to make some history in the process.

The game against the Suns was the 10th time that Jokic had double-digits in points, rebounds, and assists in the postseason. With this, he became the center with the most triple-doubles in NBA Playoff history, surpassing legendary Wilt Chamberlain.

Jokic’s 10 triple-double in the playoffs also ranks him at No. 5 for all positions, sharing the position with Larry Bird, Draymond Green, Jason Kidd, and Rajon Rondo. 

After the game, Jokic was asked by reporters whether he would like to have a triple-double or a prolific scoring night. The Serbian scored 53 points in Game 4, which was the second-most by a center in NBA Playoffs. 

“I mean, to be honest, I just like to win the game,” Jokic responded. “So whatever it takes. I opened the game today; I think really badly; maybe I was forcing it. And then I just slow it down, relax and let the game come to me. It’ll come to me, and that happens.”

The Nuggets now hold a 3-2 lead in the series against the Suns and need just one win to punch their ticket for conference finals. They will have an opportunity to finish the job on Thursday when the two teams meet again for Game 6.

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The Minnesota Timberwolves won’t be swept in their first-round series against the top-seeded Denver Nuggets after all. Their All-Star Anthony Edwards delivered a huge performance in a 108-114 overtime win on Sunday night to keep the Wolves alive in the playoffs for at least one more game.

The Timberwolves had to work hard for their win, failing to close out the game in regular time. Despite being up by 12 with less than three minutes left on the clock, they watched the Nuggets erase their lead and force overtime. However, Denver didn’t have enough gas to make a full comeback, with Minnesota getting the job done in the extra period to make it 1-3 in the series.

Edwards stepped up big-time for the Timberwolves, finishing the night with 34 points, six rebounds, and five assists while adding two steals and three blocks. Rudy Gobert had 14 points and 15 rebounds, while Karl-Anthony Towns had 17 points and 11 boards.

“I don’t ever want to say I got swept in my career,” Edwards, who is averaging 32.3 points in playoffs this season, said after the game. “So I definitely took it personally tonight.”

The Wolves and Edwards will now have to return to Denver and try to do it all again if they want to make this a series.

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Kentavious Caldwell-Pope has agreed to a two-year contract extension with the Denver Nuggets, his agent, Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul, confirmed on Wednesday. The deal, worth $30 million, kicks into effect during the 2023-24 season and includes a player option.

2022-23 would have been Caldwell-Pope’s final season with the Nuggets prior to the contract extension; a season which would see him receive a payout of $14 million. Now, as a result of the extension, the 29-year-old’s career earnings will rise above $120 million.

The guard arrived in Denver two weeks ago as part of a trade that saw Will Barton and Monte Morris sent to the Washington Wizards. Now, he is expected to be a key 3-and-D performer alongside MVP Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray, and Michael Porter Jr.

Achieving a 41% record at catch-and-shoot 3-pointers over the past two years, Caldwell-Pope is expected to greatly benefit from Jokic’s top passing ability. He has also achieved career averages of 11.6 points, 3.1 rebounds and 1.7 assists per game.

Caldwell-Pope appeared in 77 games for the Wizards last season, averaging 13.2 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 1.9 assists per game.

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The Los Angeles Lakers have avoided getting swept by the Denver Nuggets for the second consecutive postseason. Facing elimination and another embarrassment in Game 4 of their first-round series against the Nuggets on Saturday night, the Lakers displayed a remarkable resilience and came up with a 119-108 win.

Prior to Saturday, the Lakers lost 11 consecutive games against the Nuggets. They were swept in the 2023 Western Conference Finals, lost all four regular-season games in the 2023-24 season, and then fell down 3-0 at the start of this year’s playoff series.

But in Game 4, the Lakers found a spark. They finished the first quarter with a five-point lead and never trailed again. LA’s superstar LeBron James led the way with 30 points, five rebounds, and four assists, while Anthony Davis added 25 points and 23 rebounds. This proved enough to overcome another monster outing by Nuggets’ superstar Nikola Jokic, who had 33 points, 14 rebounds, and 14 assists.

Speaking with reports after the game, James said that the Lakers gave themselves “another life” with a win.

“The only opportunity for us is just to play the next game,” LeBron James said. “And we’ve given ourselves another life. We’ve given ourselves another lifeline, and it’s a one-game series for us.”

However, the Lakers are still facing a massive challenge. In order to advance to the second round, they would need to become the first team in NBA history to overcome a 3-0 deficit in a playoff series. The Lakers and the Nuggets are playing again on Monday night in another elimination game for the LA team.

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The Denver Nuggets are rewarding head coach Michael Malone for winning the first NBA title for the franchise last season. According to ESPN’s NBA Insider Adrian Wojnarowski, Malone has received a new contract extension that makes him one of the league’s highest-paid coaches.

The details of the agreement are still unknown, but it is believed that the extension ties Malone to the Nuggets at least through the 2026-27 season. He is currently the fourth longest-serving head coach in the NBA behind  San Antonio Spurs’ Gregg Popovich, Miami Heat’s Erik Spoelstra, and Golden State Warriors’ Steve Kerr.

If the reports about the financial package are correct, he will likely earn north of $10 million annually. Currently, the highest-paid coaches in the NBA are Popovich, who signed a five-year, $80 million contract extension in the summer, and Monty Williams, who agreed to a six-year, $78.5 million deal in June to coach the Detroit Pistons.

Michael Malone started his NBA coaching career in the early 2000s with the New York Knicks. After serving as an assistant with several other franchises, including the Cleveland Cavaliers, Malone was hired as the head coach of the Sacramento Kings in 2013. He spent just over one year with the Kings, posting 28 – 54 in his first season and being fired after going 11-13 to start the 2014–15 campaign.

Malone received a chance for redemption from the Nuggets, who hired him ahead of the 2015–16 season. While his early years with the franchise were full of ups and downs, Malone steadied the ship in 2018–19 and led Denver to a 54-28 record and Conference Semi-finals appearances. This was followed by four more consecutive postseason trips, including winning an NBA Championship in dominant fashion in 2022-23.

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The Denver Nuggets learned some devastating news on Wednesday that might derail their hot start of the 2023-24 campaign. Reportedly, Nuggets’ All-Star guard Jamal Murray is dealing with a hamstring injury and is set to miss three to four weeks.

According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, the Nuggets are taking a cautious approach with Murray and will give him as much time as he needs to properly recover.

“This will be something that will be longer than we would like,” Malone told reporters about Murray. “You have to have the big picture in mind and make sure we’re putting him in a position to get healthy before he comes back.”

Murray strained his hamstring during Saturday’s 123-101 win over the Chicago Bulls. He played only nine minutes, attempting three shots and scoring two points alongside two rebounds, before exiting the game.

Murray’s absence will likely be a tough blow for the Nuggets, considering he is their second-best player after superstar Nikola Jokic. The 26-year-old player hasn’t been scoring friendly to start the 2023-24 campaign, averaging 16.3 points per game, although his assists climbed to a career-high 7.4.

The Nuggets have been on a tear so far in the season, playing according to their status as NBA champions. They won seven out of their first eight games and currently own the best record in the league.

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There is no lack of optimism in the Denver Nuggets’ camp as the team prepares to start their campaign as the defending NBA champions. Speaking with reporters on Tuesday, stars Jamal Murray and Nikola Jokic said they believe the Nuggets can go all the way in 2023-24 as well.

“I just think we can do it again,” Murray said. “I think that’s the biggest thing, just being able to repeat and go through the adversity and ups and downs of this season. Just be ready by April and going to June.”

Jokic, who won the NBA Finals MVP honors in a 4-1 routing of the Miami Heat, has a similar opinion as Murray.

“Go get the opportunity to win another one. Probably, that’s going to be the next step for us,” said Jokic. “… Like Jamal said, like why not win again?”

Despite the Nuggets’ optimism, their road to the NBA title will likely be much harder this season than it was in 2022-23. Several of the championship contenders have significantly improved this offseason. The Phoenix Suns traded for All-Star Bradley Beal, while the Milwaukee Bucks pulled off a blockbuster trade for superstar Damian Lillard.

The Nuggets, on the other hand, remained pat. While maintaining the majority of their core players, they only signed several rotational pieces, including veteran forward Justin Holiday. On the other hand, they have seen the likes of Bruce Brown and Jeff Green leave elsewhere.

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The Denver Nuggets are the new NBA champions. The Nuggets closed out the NBA Finals series against the Miami Heat in five games with an 89-94 win on Monday night.

This is the first title for the Nuggets in what was their first appearance in the NBA finals. They previously had one appearance in ABA Finals in 1975–76. 

Game 5 didn’t start well for the Nuggets, with the Heat looking like they might extend the series. Miami held a seven-point lead at the half, and it seemed that they wouldn’t go down without a fight.

However, Denver obviously wasn’t in the mood to travel back to Miami. The Nuggets’ stars Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray then took over in the second half, hitting key shots while the entire team dialed in on the defensive end.

In the last minute of the game, with Denver up by one, the Nuggets’ swingman Kentavious Caldwell-Pope got a key steal and then converted two free throws to get his team the cushion they needed to get the job done.

Jokic ended up taking home the Larry O’Brien trophy as the NBA Finals MVP with a unanimous vote. The Serbian star center averaged 30.2 points, 14.0 rebounds, and 7.2 assists over the course of the finals.

“The job is done, and we can go home now,” Jokic said after the game.

Now that the Nuggets got their first taste of glory, they don’t intend to stop there. Denver’s head coach Mike Malone believes this is the first step in his team becoming a dynasty.

“We accomplished something this franchise has never done before, but we have a lot of young talented players in that locker room, and I think we just showed through 16 playoff wins what we’re capable of on the biggest stage in the world,” said Malone.

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The Denver Nuggets took back control of the NBA Finals series against the Heat in an impressive fashion. The Nuggets dominated the Heat in a 109-94 win in Game 3, with their star duo of Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray making history in the process.

Jokic and Murray both had 30-point triple-doubles, becoming the first duo to achieve the feat in the NBA playoffs. Jokic had 32 points, 21 rebounds, and 10 assists, while Murray finished the game with 34 points, 10 assists, and 10 rebounds to give Denver a 2-1 lead.

Nuggets’ head coach Mike Malone was full of praise for Jokic and Murray in the post-game conference.

“By far, their greatest performance as a duo in their seven years together,” Malone said.

Malone was particularly impressed with Murray, who struggled in Game 2 and missed the game-tying basket at the buzzer.

“I felt Jamal’s presence, his energy, and he was here in the moment,” Malone added. “For him and Nikola to do what they did tonight in a game that we needed to take, regain the home-court advantage of the series, was special to watch.”

Jokic and Murray will now look to do it all over again in Game 4, knowing how important it is to keep the momentum and don’t let the resilient Heat team get their grove back. The series stays in Miami, with the next game scheduled for Friday night.

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The Denver Nuggets did their best to keep the Miami Heat from stealing Game 2 on Sunday night, but their best wasn’t enough. Just like many times this postseason, the Heat found something extra late in the game to rally to a win.

The Heat entered the fourth quarter with an eight-point deficit before orchestrating a comeback to get an important 111-108 away win and tie the NBA Finals series.

Miami’s win was a true team effort, with Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo scoring 21 points each and Gabe Vincent finishing the game with 23 points. Max Strus and Duncan Robinson were also in double digits in points.

“Our guys are competitors,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said after the game. “They love these kind of moments.”

The Nuggets had another big performance by their superstar Nikola Jokic, who had 41 points, 11 rebounds, and four assists. However, he had little help from the rest of the team, especially on the defensive end of the ball.

Speaking with reporters after the game, Denver’s head coach Mike Malone called out his players for lack of effort.

“Let’s talk about effort,” Malone said. “I mean, this is the NBA Finals, and we’re talking about effort. That’s a huge concern of mine. You guys probably thought I was just making up some storyline after Game 1 when I said we didn’t play well. We didn’t play well. … This is not the preseason. This is not the regular season. This is the NBA Finals.”

The NBA Finals series now moves to Miami, with Game 3 being scheduled for Wednesday.

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The Denver Nuggets superstar Nikola Jokic delivered another signature performance on Tuesday night to lift his team to a 118-102 win over the Phoenix Suns in Game 5 of the Western Conference semifinals. Jokic finished the contest with 29 points, 13 rebounds, and 12 assists and managed to make some history in the process.

The game against the Suns was the 10th time that Jokic had double-digits in points, rebounds, and assists in the postseason. With this, he became the center with the most triple-doubles in NBA Playoff history, surpassing legendary Wilt Chamberlain.

Jokic’s 10 triple-double in the playoffs also ranks him at No. 5 for all positions, sharing the position with Larry Bird, Draymond Green, Jason Kidd, and Rajon Rondo. 

After the game, Jokic was asked by reporters whether he would like to have a triple-double or a prolific scoring night. The Serbian scored 53 points in Game 4, which was the second-most by a center in NBA Playoffs. 

“I mean, to be honest, I just like to win the game,” Jokic responded. “So whatever it takes. I opened the game today; I think really badly; maybe I was forcing it. And then I just slow it down, relax and let the game come to me. It’ll come to me, and that happens.”

The Nuggets now hold a 3-2 lead in the series against the Suns and need just one win to punch their ticket for conference finals. They will have an opportunity to finish the job on Thursday when the two teams meet again for Game 6.

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The Minnesota Timberwolves won’t be swept in their first-round series against the top-seeded Denver Nuggets after all. Their All-Star Anthony Edwards delivered a huge performance in a 108-114 overtime win on Sunday night to keep the Wolves alive in the playoffs for at least one more game.

The Timberwolves had to work hard for their win, failing to close out the game in regular time. Despite being up by 12 with less than three minutes left on the clock, they watched the Nuggets erase their lead and force overtime. However, Denver didn’t have enough gas to make a full comeback, with Minnesota getting the job done in the extra period to make it 1-3 in the series.

Edwards stepped up big-time for the Timberwolves, finishing the night with 34 points, six rebounds, and five assists while adding two steals and three blocks. Rudy Gobert had 14 points and 15 rebounds, while Karl-Anthony Towns had 17 points and 11 boards.

“I don’t ever want to say I got swept in my career,” Edwards, who is averaging 32.3 points in playoffs this season, said after the game. “So I definitely took it personally tonight.”

The Wolves and Edwards will now have to return to Denver and try to do it all again if they want to make this a series.

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Kentavious Caldwell-Pope has agreed to a two-year contract extension with the Denver Nuggets, his agent, Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul, confirmed on Wednesday. The deal, worth $30 million, kicks into effect during the 2023-24 season and includes a player option.

2022-23 would have been Caldwell-Pope’s final season with the Nuggets prior to the contract extension; a season which would see him receive a payout of $14 million. Now, as a result of the extension, the 29-year-old’s career earnings will rise above $120 million.

The guard arrived in Denver two weeks ago as part of a trade that saw Will Barton and Monte Morris sent to the Washington Wizards. Now, he is expected to be a key 3-and-D performer alongside MVP Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray, and Michael Porter Jr.

Achieving a 41% record at catch-and-shoot 3-pointers over the past two years, Caldwell-Pope is expected to greatly benefit from Jokic’s top passing ability. He has also achieved career averages of 11.6 points, 3.1 rebounds and 1.7 assists per game.

Caldwell-Pope appeared in 77 games for the Wizards last season, averaging 13.2 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 1.9 assists per game.

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