LeBron James, #23, Los Angeles Lakers, (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)
LeBron James caught an errant elbow from Jamal Murray, drawing a crucial second-half flagrant foul.
The Lakers came into Game 3 looking to take a commanding series lead but the Nuggets were ready to answer every challenge. Denver led by as many as 18 points and was able to preserve a double-digit lead heading into halftime.
Both teams came out fired up to start the third quarter and didn’t take long for the physicality to send someone to the floor.
It doesn’t take a physics scholar to recognize LeBron selling the contact a bit but it was, at the very least, a definite foul and the refs ultimately called it a flagrant 1 on Jamal Murray. It could have been a huge turning point in the game, but momentum didn’t manifest. LeBron split the two free throws and the ensuing possession ended with a missed 3-pointer by Anthony Davis. LeBron went to work after that, scoring six straight points but the Lakers couldn’t get stops and the quarter ended with them still trailing by 18 points.
LeBron shook off the contact but it didn’t help the Lakers close the gap
It was a strong three quarters for LeBron, who totaled 17 points, 9 assists and 7 rebounds, but with 5 turnovers. However, the rest of the supporting cast was largely absent — shooting just 5-of-16 from the 3-point arc through the first three quarters. The Nuggets, on the other hand, got incredibly strong performances from both Jamal Murray and Nikola Jokic (40 points and 16 assists through three quarters) and from their bench, with Monte Morris, Michael Porter Jr. and Jerami Grant combining for 44.