Nikola Jokic led the Nuggets to a 132-126 victory over the Lakers, giving them a 1-0 lead in the Western Conference series.

The Nuggets had an impressive 6-0 record at home during the postseason.

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The Lakers had previously won Game 1 on the road in their last two series.

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Despite being down by as many as 21 points, the Lakers managed to trim the lead to three in the final minutes.

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Rui Hachimura's defensive efforts in the last quarter had a significant impact on limiting Jokic's dominance.

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Jokic still had an outstanding performance, finishing the game with 34 points, 21 rebounds, and 14 assists.

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Jamal Murray contributed 31 points for the Nuggets, while Bruce Brown provided a strong boost off the bench with 16 points.

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Anthony Davis led the Lakers' scoring with 40 points, putting up a competitive performance against Jokic.

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LeBron James had 26 points and nine assists, but Austin Reaves emerged as a late-game standout for the Lakers.

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Reaves made crucial plays and accumulated 23 points, 11 of which were scored in the fourth quarter, along with eight assists.

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