Denver Nuggets sweep LA Lakers to earn their 1st NBA Finals appearance

By Can Erozden

ANKARA (AA) - The Denver Nuggets swept the Los Angeles Lakers to earn their first-ever appearance in the NBA Finals.

The Nikola Jokic-led Nuggets beat the Lakers 113-111 at Los Angeles' Crypto.com Arena on Monday evening to win the Western Conference finals 4-0.

Nuggets' All-Star center Jokic from Serbia posted a triple-double with 30 points, 14 rebounds, and 13 assists.

Jamal Murray racked up 25 points for the Nuggets, and Aaron Gordon scored 22 points for the victors.

Lakers superstar LeBron James was the game's top scorer, as the experienced forward finished with 40 points, 10 rebounds, and nine assists.

Anthony Davis tallied 21 points and 14 rebounds for the Lakers.

Lakers guard Austin Reaves added 17 points.

In the 2023 finals, the Nuggets will face the winner of the Boston Celtics-Miami Heat tie as the Heat have a 3-0 lead in the Eastern Conference finals.

Game 4 will be held on Tuesday in Miami.

- LeBron reportedly mulling retirement after Lakers' playoff exit

LeBron James, a 20-season NBA veteran, hinted at retirement from basketball after his team the Lakers were swept by the Nuggets in the 2023 West finals.

"We’ll see what happens going forward,” James said in his postgame news conference.

James, a 19-time NBA All-Star, said he is now unsure about playing the game for the 2023-24 NBA season.

"I don’t know. I don’t know. I’ve got a lot to think about, to be honest. Just for me personally going forward with the game of basketball, I’ve got a lot to think about," the 38-year-old added.

The two-time Olympic gold medalist has one season remaining on his contract with the Lakers in a deal worth $46.9 million.

He has been a Lakers player since 2018.

James previously played for the Cleveland Cavaliers, and Miami Heat, where he won NBA championships.

He won the NBA title in 2012 and 2013 with the Heat, 2016 as a Cavaliers player, and 2020 with the Lakers.