Murray’s heroics not enough as Nuggets lose Game 4, 114-108

Jamal Murray was a man on a mission in Game for but the Denver Nuggets still fell behind 3-1 in the Western Conference Finals.

The opening minutes of the contest was the Anthony Davis show as “The Brow” scored 12 of the Los Angeles Lakers’ first 16 points and shot 6-6 from the field. Largely thanks to a hot Jamal Murray, the Denver Nuggets trailed by four (16-12) when they took a timeout with 6:49 remaining in the period.

Despite a monstrous first quarter from the Lakers (AD had 14 points, LeBron James had 10 points and Dwight Howard had eight points and eight rebounds), Denver trailed by just seven (37-30) entering the second.

After falling behind by 12 to begin the second, a pair of threes brought Denver back within seven (47-40) with 7:27 left in the first half.

It seemed as if Los Angeles was going to pull away in the second, at one point leading by 12 (52-40). But on the back of Murray, the Nuggets closed the first half on an 8-3 run, and brought themselves within five (60-55) at the end of two.

Murray totaled 16 points and four assists in the first half, and Nikola Jokic and Jerami Grant both scored 10 points through two quarters. Davis led all scorers with 19 points on 7-10 shooting at halftime.

Los Angeles pushed their lead to 10 following a Kentavious Caldwell-Pope three-pointer, but the comeback kids never wavered. A Torrey Craig three and Murray layup got Denver back within five (70-65) with 7:14 remaining.

Even as Denver’s stars got fatigued, Los Angeles failed to build a sizable lead over the Nuggets, leading by just three (87-84) entering the final period of play.

With Jokic on the bench, the Nuggets cut the Lakers’ lead to one (87-86), but Los Angeles responded with a 7-2 run, pushing their lead to seven (95-88) with 8:06 remaining.

With 6:44 on the clock, a questionable foul was called on Paul Millsap, his fifth personal foul, one that sent Davis to the line after coming down on his ankle.

Two minutes later, Millsap drained his first three of the game and brought Denver back within four. And with 3:28 remaining, Monte Morris converted an and-one floater to bring the Nuggets within three (105-102).

But it was the Lakers who prevailed in the end, as Denver could not rebound in the waning minutes of the game, and Los Angeles took Game four 114-108.

Davis led all scorers with 34 points, but Murray was a close second, finishing the contest with 32 points and eight assists.

Jokic totaled just 16 points and seven rebounds, and Grant added 17 points in 43 minutes of action.

For the third time in these playoffs, the Nuggets find themselves down 3-1. Denver will need a spirited effort in Game 5 to kick off yet another comeback, and tip-off for that game is set for Saturday, Sept. 26, at 9 p.m. (EST).