Jamal Murray’s clutch shot propels Nuggets past Lakers in Game 5, seals series victory

Jamal Murray, the Denver Nuggets star, has once again proven himself as a clutch player after hitting a game-winning shot to close out their opening-round playoff series against the Los Angeles Lakers. Murray’s jumper over Austin Reaves with just under four seconds left sealed the 108-106 win for the Nuggets, giving them a 4-1 series victory.

Despite being questionable due to a calf strain, Murray came up big for his team once again. In Game 2, he hit a buzzer-beater while falling out of bounds to put the Nuggets up 2-0 in the series. His performance has been nothing short of spectacular, and he expressed his gratitude after the win, saying, “I’m speechless. It’s a dream come true. All these fans on your side to get it done in this fashion, I don’t know. I don’t know what to say. I’m just happy for us.”

The Lakers, who were swept by the Nuggets in the Western Conference finals last season, have now suffered another early playoff exit. The loss was compounded by an injury to Anthony Davis, who took a hard shot to his left shoulder in the second half and struggled to make an impact on the game afterward.

Murray led the Nuggets with 32 points and seven assists in the game, while Michael Porter Jr. added 26 points and Nikola Jokić contributed 25 points, 20 rebounds, and nine assists. The Nuggets will now face the Minnesota Timberwolves in the Western Conference semifinals, with Game 1 set to take place in Denver on Saturday. Minnesota swept the Phoenix Suns in their series, setting up an exciting matchup between the two teams.