“Nuggets dominate Lakers in Game 3 to take 3-0 lead in Western Conference Finals”

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Nikola Jokic was far from his usual level and had gotten into foul trouble. Jamal Murray, on fire in the first half, had cooled off in the second.

The Nuggets’ big early lead disappeared entirely in the fourth quarter of Game 3 of the Western Conference finals. And the public in Los Angeles was in a fever.

With serenity, the Nuggets weathered the difficult moments. They methodically took control, with the attitude of a champion team.

And with one more victory they will finally have a chance to play a title series.

Murray scored 37 points, Jokic added 24 and dished out eight assists, and Denver extended its lead to 3-0 in the Western Conference finals with a 119-108 victory over the Lakers on Saturday.

Kentavious Caldwell-Pope had 12 of his 17 points in the second half against his former team. The top-seeded Nuggets have never been this close to the NBA Finals in their 47 years in the league.

Denver is playing its fifth consecutive postseason. Now, a single win will put him in the final series.

“I learn a lot about this team every time we play,” Caldwell-Pope said. “We have that mentality where it doesn’t matter if we’re up or down, we’ll keep fighting like dogs, playing our game and looking for a high level. We’re going to continue to do that for the rest of these games.”

The Nuggets blew a big lead in the game but mounted a decisive 13-point unanswered fourth-quarter streak to snap the Lakers from a nine-game home win streak that dated back to March 26.

The streak included seven straight playoff wins.

“This group is capable of doing great things, and they believe in themselves,” Denver coach Michael Malone said. “Believing is a very powerful thing.”

In NBA history, no team has ever come back from a 3-0 deficit in a postseason series. The fourth duel is scheduled for Monday night, also in Los Angeles.

Anthony Davis had 28 points and 18 rebounds for the seventh-seeded Lakers, who haven’t lost three in a row since early February. Los Angeles’ resurgence since the trade deadline expired appears to have faded against a mighty Nuggets, who tied for their fifth playoff win.

LeBron James had 23 points, 12 assists and seven rebounds for the Lakers. He hit three 3-pointers after starting the series missing 13.