The LA Lakers booked their place in the 2020 NBA Finals after defeating the Denver Nuggets 117-107 in Game 5 of the Western Conference finals.
The Lakers surged into a three-point lead in the first period after scoring 33 points. The second period saw the Lakers increase their dominance, making 28 points while limiting the Nuggets to only 21 points in the period.
While the Nuggets were able to decrease the deficit in the third, scoring 33 points compared to the Lakers’ 26, LA was ultimately able to restore their dominance in the fourth, scoring 30 points.
LeBron James proved himself to be the Lakers’ key player of the night, amassing a colossal 38 points, 16 rebounds, and 10 assists. Most notably, he secured the win for the Lakers by amassing 16 points in the final quarter.
James had the following to say following his impressive performance on court, “My teammates said, ‘bring us home,’ and it’s my responsibility to try to make the right plays and do the right things on the floor to help us win ball games. We have a few guys on our team that have never been to the Finals before, so I took that responsibility as well. My shoulders are wide enough to carry a lot of load, but my mind is stronger. I always keep my mind strong, and I’m just happy to be in this position.”
