The Denver Nuggets delivered a thrilling end-game performance against the Los Angeles Lakers, turning a nearly certain defeat into a stunning 101-99 victory in Game 2 of their first-round playoff series. This win, capped by Jamal Murray’s buzzer-beating jumper, handed the Nuggets a commanding 2-0 series lead as the action shifts to Los Angeles.

The Lakers, who had maintained a comfortable lead throughout the game, found themselves up by 20 points at one point and entered halftime leading by 15. Despite this strong start, the Nuggets began to chip away at the deficit in the third quarter. The Lakers managed to keep a 10-point lead heading into the fourth, but Denver’s relentless 22-8 run in the final quarter dramatically changed the game’s momentum.

In the nail-biting final minutes, the game saw several lead changes. LeBron James put the Lakers ahead by two with less than a minute remaining, only for Murray to tie the game shortly after. As the clock ticked down, the Lakers’ final shot attempt missed its mark, setting the stage for Murray’s dramatic step-back jumper as time expired, clinching the win for Denver.

This victory marks Denver’s sixth consecutive playoff win over the Lakers, a streak that dates back to last season’s Western Conference Finals. The repeated pattern of losing significant leads, as seen in both games of this series and particularly in Saturday’s game where the Lakers also squandered a double-digit lead, has become a concerning trend for the team.

Looking ahead, the Lakers face the daunting task of overcoming a 2-0 deficit, a challenge that history suggests is difficult to surmount. The next game in this series, set for Thursday night at 10 p.m. ET in Los Angeles, will be critical for the Lakers as they attempt to leverage their home-court advantage to turn the series around.

As the Lakers prepare to regroup and address their late-game execution, the Nuggets will aim to maintain their momentum and take one step closer to advancing to the next round.