Nuggets Sweep Lakers and Lebron James, Nikola Jokic wins the WCF MVP

The Denver Nuggets defeated the Los Angeles Lakers 113-111 in Game 4, advancing to the NBA Finals for the first time in team history​¹​. Nikola Jokic led the Nuggets with 30 points, 14 rebounds, and 13 assists, earning his eighth triple-double of the playoffs by the third quarter and breaking Wilt Chamberlain's 1967 NBA record for triple-doubles in a single postseason​²​​³​.

Despite a 15-point halftime deficit, the Nuggets overcame LeBron James' 31-point first half and finished the game with a tenacious effort​⁴​. Jamal Murray scored 25 points for the Nuggets, and Aaron Gordon scored 22 points​⁵​​⁶​. Jokic played the final 33 minutes of the game, scoring the final points on a layup with 51 seconds to play​⁷​.

On the Lakers' side, LeBron James had a standout performance with 40 points, 10 rebounds, and nine assists, but he missed two tying shots in the final seconds​⁸​. The Lakers had erased a seven-point deficit and tied the game with five minutes to play, but they were unable to maintain the momentum and ultimately lost the game​⁹​. Anthony Davis contributed with 21 points and 14 rebounds, while Austin Reaves added 17 points​¹⁰​​¹¹​.

The Nuggets will now play for their first NBA championship, likely against the Miami Heat unless the Boston Celtics make a historical comeback from their 3-0 deficit in the East finals​¹²​. This loss for the Lakers marks the end of a season that had seen an incredible turnaround after a poor start, including eliminating the second-seeded Memphis and defending champion Golden State​¹³​.

Nikola Jokic was named the Earvin Magic Johnson Western Conference MVP after leading the Denver Nuggets to defeat the Los Angeles Lakers in 4 straight games.