One win from NBA Finals, Nuggets credit teamwork for playoff dominance

EL SEGUNDO,Calif. (AP) — When the Denver Nuggets faced the most crucialstretch of the biggest road game in franchise history, Nikola Jokictook over both on the floor and in the huddle.

The two-timeMVP decided he would run a two-man, pick-and-roll offense withJamal Murray late in Game 3 of the Western Conference finals onSaturday night, and Jokic came through with a 15-point fourthquarter. He also commanded his teammates to buckle down on defenseagainst the Lakers, and the Nuggets responded by taking over thegame on both ends.

“Coach Jokicdid a great job tonight,” Denver coach Michael Malone said with asmile.

When told ofhis new job title, Jokic grimaced.

“I don’t wantto be a coach,” he said. “I think that’s the worst job on theplanet, for sure.”

Jokic hadsimply done what was necessary — and that’s the story of Denver’sentire season.

Whenever achallenge arises, whether it’s in the doldrums of a dominantregular season or in tough playoff matchups with the star-studdedSuns and Lakers, Jokic and the Nuggets figure out a path around it,over it or through it to keep moving toward their goal.

That goal nowis only five wins away, as Murray repeatedly pointed outaftertheNuggets’ 119-108 victory in Game 3. With one more win overLeBron James and the reeling Lakers on Monday night, Denver cansecure its first trip to the NBA Finals in the franchise’s 47 yearsin the league.

“We know nextgame is going to be another test,” Murray said. “They’re going tocome out more aggressive. (Anthony Davis) is going to be moreaggressive. LeBron is going to be more aggressive, so the crowd isgoing to be more into it.”

The Nuggetsalso can make another bit of history with a win in Game 4: Althoughthis franchise has won 15 playoff series, Denver has never swept anopponent.

It’s clearthat this current version of the Nuggets is the best team infranchise history precisely because these players care only aboutteam success. Denver has won five straight games while going 11-3in the postseason, leaving no doubt about the identity of the NBAFinals favorite and the best team in a competitive conference.

While Jokicand Murray are stars, their supporting cast is the vital differencebetween the Nuggets and the NBA’s other star-based teams. Personalstats, playing time and egos simply don’t seem to matter to thisgroup, according to its coaches and players.

“I mean, Inever doubted my team,” Jokic said. “We have some really goodplayers that can step up in the right moment, and that’s what wedid.”

Just don’ttell the Nuggets they’re the clear favorites to win it all: Theystill seem to be fueled by an underlying anger and an inferioritycomplex about their collective success, even after winning threeNorthwest Division titles and six playoff series (and counting)during five straight postseason appearances. Denver is the top seedin the West, yet seems to believe its success is a triumph overinnumerable naysayers and stark odds.

“We’re theunderdogs,” Denver’s Kentavious Caldwell-Pope claimed. “We don’tget enough credit for what we do.”

That passionsometimes comes out in surprising ways, even during this dominantplayoff series. Malone, who complained in Denver about hisperception of national media narratives, took time out frompraising his team after Game 3 to take a shot at Davis and the NBAofficials, claiming the Lakers big man constantly violatesdefensive rules by “playing free safety, sitting in the paint foreight seconds at a time.”

Lakers coachDarvin Ham declined to counter Malone’s criticism of Davis’ defenseSunday, saying only: “I have a ton of respect for Mike, and histhoughts are his thoughts. His words are his words.”

Instead, Hamgot back to work after two hours of sleep focused on the first stepin Los Angeles’ formidable task. Los Angeles had a lengthy filmsession to address the mistakes that have kept the Nuggets incontrol of the series.

“We’ve got anopportunity, man,” Ham said. “Everybody is counting us out. It’scrazy. It’s no different than what we’ve been through all year.It’s the uphill battle, and trying to solidify ourselves andre-establish what this culture is all about with the Lakerorganization. I think we’ve done that, and we’ve got an opportunityto take another step in the right direction come tomorrow.”

The Lakersare on the ropes after their first three consecutive losses sinceearly February, and perhaps the only element of encouragement isthe fact that all three games were close late. Los Angeles hadgolden opportunities to win twice in Denver, and the Lakers ralliedfrom 14 points down to take the lead early in the fourth quarter ofGame 3 before Jokic ran over them.

The Lakers’first home loss in nearly two months has left them requiring anunprecedented comeback to keep their season alive: All 149 teamsthat previously fell into an 0-3 hole in the NBA playoffs lost theseries.

“It ain’tover until it’s four games, and that’s the best part about it,”Lonnie Walker said. “Kings don’t look down when they’ve got crownson their head. You don’t want that to fall. We’re not over with.We’re a whole bunch of kings over here. We’re ready to eat. We’restarving.”