How the Denver Nuggets made it to the NBA Finals
USA TODAY Sports’ Jeff Zillgitt breaks down the Nuggets’ path to the NBA Finals and why they enter as the clear-cut favorite to win it all.
SportsPulse, USA TODAY
Denver Nuggets star Nikola Jokic was named MVP of the Western Conference finals Monday night and set an NBA record in the process.
Jokic earned his eighth triple-double of the postseason as the Nuggets swept the Los Angeles Lakers with a 113-111 road win in Game 4 of the Western Conference finals. He passed Hall of Famer Wilt Chamberlain’s record of seven, which had stood for 56 years.
The two-time MVP passed Chamberlain in the third quarter, when he scored 13 points in the period and the Nuggets took their first lead of the game. Jokic finished with 30 points, 14 rebounds and 13 assists.
LIKE NO ONE ELSE: What makes Denver’s Nikola Jokic so great? He’s an amalgamation of Hall of Famers
The Nuggets reached the NBA Finals for the first time with the victory. They will face the winner of the Boston Celtics-Miami Heat series. Miami leads 3-0 heading into Tuesday’s home game (8:30 p.m. ET, TNT).
Jokic, a 28-year-old center, finished second in MVP voting for the 2022-23 season as Philadelphia 76ers star Joel Embiid earned his first title.
LeBron James had a highly productive night as the Lakers came up just short in their attempt to stave off elimination. He had 31 points at the half and finished with 40 points.
Follow Victoria Hernandez on Twitter @LadyViii
PICKS AND PARLAYS: How to find NBA expert picks and tips
