May 22, 2023 - Sports

Nuggets sweep the Lakers to earn first ever NBA Finals berth

Esteban L. Hernandez

A man in a white basketball uniform shoots a shot — Jamal Murray of the Denver Nuggets shoots between Anthony Davis and Dennis Schroder of the Los Angeles Lakers. Photo by Allen Berezovsky/Getty Images

The Denver Nuggets are four wins away from an NBA Championship for the first time in team history.

Details: Denver defeated the Los Angeles Lakers 113-111 on Monday night, completing the four game sweep of one of the league's most historic franchises.

Nuggets center Nikola Jokic recorded his eighth triple double of these playoffs, setting a new record for the most in a single postseason. He broke a tie with Wilt Chamberlain.

Why it matters: The Nuggets' are making their first-ever NBA Finals appearance, a monumental achievement for a team playing in only its fifth Western Conference Finals since joining the league in 1976.

Before Monday, the Nuggets were one of six teams to never make it to the Finals.

The big picture: The team now has a shot to bring another sports title to the Mile High City, a year after the Colorado Avalanche's magical run ended with the Stanley Cup.

What's next: The Nuggets will face the winner of the Boston Celtics/Miami Heat series.

The Heat lead the series 3-0, with Game 4 set to tip Tuesday night at 6:30 on TNT.

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Nuggets sweep the Lakers to earn first ever NBA Finals berth

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