Jamal Murray led the charge with some big buckets down the stretch as he finished with 28 points, 12 assists, and eight rebounds, while Nikola Jokic added 22 points, 10 rebounds, and five assists.
Their star duo had it going from the jump, but it was the contributions from the supporting cast that made the difference, with Jerami Grant recording a playoff career-high 26 points!
LeBron James led the Lakers with his 26th playoff career triple-double – 30 points, 11 assists, and 10 rebounds, while Anthony Davis added 27 points on the night.
If you missed any of the action we had you covered with live updates, highlights and more from this contest.
– The Nuggets hold off the Lakers’ comeback to get their first win of the series to make it 2-1. Jamal Murray scored 10 points in the fourth to seal the W, including the dagger from 3.
– Make that a 14-2 Laker run and it’s just an eight-point game. The Lakers are getting it done on the defensive end, forcing four quick turnovers. We’ve got a big finish coming up with 7:38 remaining in the game.
– Davis, James, and Kuzma power the Lakers to a 10-2 run as they cut the lead to 12 points with 8:43 remaining. Can they pull off the comeback?
– Jamal Murray is in his bag. He’s closing in on a triple-double with 22 points, 11 assists, and eight rebounds.
– After the Lakers started the quarter in rhythm, the Nuggets absorbed the punches and hit back thanks to Murray and Jerami Grant to make it an 18-point lead heading into the fourth.
– Grant’s got a playoff career-high 21 points off 6-of-9 shooting with 12 coming in the third period alone.
– A late triple from Markieff Morris helps the Lakers cut the lead down to 10 points heading into the break, but the Nuggets are firing on all cylinders, winning the period 34-26.
– This is their first half-time lead in their last seven games!
– Anthony Davis leads the Lakers with a game-high 16 points, while LeBron is setting up another playoff triple-double with 10 points, eight assists, and four rebounds.
– Morris and Murray have 12 points apiece, while Jokic leads the way with 15 points, six rebounds, and four assists, hitting some tough shots along the way.
– The Lakers have trimmed the deficit to 14 points, behind nine straight points from Anthony Davis. He’s 3-of-3 from the field in the quarter, while the rest of the Lakers are a combined 2-of-12.
– Monte Morris heads to the bench with 12 points after giving the Nuggets a huge spark alongside MPJ.
– Porter Jr. and Monte Morris are giving the Nuggets a huge boost of scoring off the bench, but the biggest difference-maker so far has been their work on the glass. They’re winning the rebounding battle 18-8. Jokic has 5 and MPJ 4 (5:19).
– Denver is piling up the points, extending the run to 15-2 to start the period, connecting on 11 of their last 13 field goals. Timeout Lakers (8:53).
They’re getting plenty of transition opportunities thanks to their defence forcing seven Laker turnovers which they’re converted into 12 points.
– The Nuggets race out on a 7-0 run early in the second with Michael Porter Jr, getting five quick points.
– A back and forth opening quarter to start Game 3 as the Nuggets take a two-point lead into the break.
– Denver has shot 60% from the field in the opening 12 minutes, led by 11 points from Jokic on 5-of-7 shooting. The Lakers aren’t far back, shooting 55% from the field. Anthony Davis leads the way with seven points and LeBron six.
– Nikola Jokic is catching the Lakers early in the shot clock. He’s started the game 4-of-6 from the field for his eight points and four rebounds (1:56)
– LeBron’s in attack mode, getting the left-hand finish at the rim to go. Lakers lead 16-14 (5:17)
– The Nuggets are moving the ball early and playing with a much faster pace as they look to work the Murray-Jokic high- pick-and-roll. Murray is doing a great job running off screens and getting free for 3-point attempts.
Grant gets the triple to go in the corner. He’s got five early points for Denver.
TORONTO – Reigning PWHL MVP and scoring champ Natalie Spooner will miss the start of the regular season for the Toronto Sceptres, general manager Gina Kingsbury announced Tuesday on the first day of training camp.
The 33-year-old Spooner had knee surgery on her left anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) after she was checked into the boards by Minnesota’s Grace Zumwinkle in Game 3 of their best-of-five semifinal series on May 13.
She had a goal and an assist in three playoff games but did not finish the series. Toronto was up 2-1 in the semifinal at that time and eventually fell 3-2 in the series.
Spooner led the PWHL with 27 points in 24 games. Her 20 goals, including five game-winners, were nine more than the closest skater.
Kingsbury said there is no timeline, as the team wants the Toronto native at 100 per cent, but added that “she is doing really well” in her recovery.
The Sceptres open the PWHL season on Nov. 30 when they host the Boston Fleet.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 12, 2024.
LAHORE, Pakistan (AP) — A top official of the Pakistan Cricket Board declined Friday to confirm media reports that India has decided against playing any games in host Pakistan during next year’s Champions Trophy.
“My view is if there’s any problems, they (India) should tell us in writing,” PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi told reporters in Lahore. “I’ll share that with the media as well as with the government as soon as I get such a letter.”
Indian media reported Friday that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has communicated its concerns to all the Champions Trophy stakeholders, including the PCB, over the Feb. 19-March 9 tournament and would not play in arch-rival Pakistan.
The Times of India said that “Dubai is a strong candidate to host the fixtures involving the Men in Blue” for the 50-over tournament.
Such a solution would see Pakistan having to travel to a neutral venue to play India in a group match, with another potential meeting later in the tournament if both teams advanced from their group. The final is scheduled for March 9 in Pakistan with the specific venue not yet decided.
“Our stance is clear,” Naqvi said. “They need to give us in writing any objections they may have. Until now, no discussion of the hybrid model has happened, nor are we prepared to accept one.”
Political tensions have stopped bilateral cricket between the two nations since 2008 and they have competed in only multi-nation tournaments, including ICC World Cups.
“Cricket should be free of politics,” Naqvi said. “Any sport should not be entangled with politics. Our preparations for the Champions Trophy will continue unabated, and this will be a successful event.”
The PCB has already spent millions of dollars on the upgrade of stadiums in Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi which are due to host 15 Champions Trophy games. Naqvi hoped all the three stadiums will be ready over the next two months.
“Almost every country wants the Champions Trophy to be played here (in Pakistan),” Naqvi said. “I don’t think anyone should make this a political matter, and I don’t expect they will. I expect the tournament will be held at the home of the official hosts.”
Eight countries – Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, England, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand and Afghanistan – are due to compete in the tournament, the schedule of which is yet to be announced by the International Cricket Council.
“Normally the ICC announces the schedule of any major tournament 100 days before the event, and I hope they will announce it very soon,” Naqvi said.
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia – Ottawa‘s Gabriela Dabrowski and Erin Routliffe of New Zealand are through to the doubles final at the WTA Finals after a 7-6 (7), 6-1 victory over Nicole Melichar-Martinez of the United States and Australia’s Ellen Perez in semifinal action Friday.
Dabrowski and Routliffe won a hard-fought first set against serve when Routliffe’s quick reaction at the net to defend a Perez shot gave the duo set point, causing Perez to throw down her racket in frustration.
The second seeds then cruised through the second set, winning match point on serve when Melichar-Martinez couldn’t handle Routliffe’s shot.
The showdown was a rematch of last year’s semifinal, which Melichar-Martinez and Perez won in a super tiebreak.
Dabrowski and Routliffe will face the winner of a match between Katerina Siniakova and Taylor Townsend, and Hao-Ching Chan and Veronika Kudermetova in the final on Saturday.
Dabrowski is aiming to become the first Canadian to win a WTA Finals title.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 8, 2024.
