47 years in the making.
The Denver Nuggets will move to the NBA Finals for the first time in franchise history, sweeping the Los Angeles Lakers with a 113-111 thriller win in Game 4 of the 2023 Western Conference Finals on Monday.
The Nuggets were able to come back from being down 15 entering halftime, as they blazed for a 36-point third frame and a 55-point second half to book their berth as the representative of the West for the championship round.
Nikola Jokic, who was named as the recipient of the Magic Johnson Western Conference Finals MVP trophy, had another masterpiece with a triple-double, tallying 34 points, 14 boards and 13 assists while hitting the clutch layup with 51.7 to put the Nuggets ahead with two.
Jamal Murray added 25 points, Aaron Gordon chipped in 22 markers with his stellar defensive play, and Michael Porter Jr. had 15.
LeBron James had an astounding night with 40 points, draining 30 in the half. Bulldozing for a potential game-tying shot, he was clamped by the Nuggets on the final play and went on to get swept in a best-of-seven series for the third time in his career.
The Nuggets went through a lot in their 47 seasons of existence in the league and have been denied by the Lakers in four of their previous Conference Finals matchups. But this season is their own now as the new kings of the West. Their wait for a chance to enter the NBA Finals for the first time is third-longest in the history of the NBA, the NHL, and MLB, per ESPN Stats & Info.
As Denver now marches for that elusive title, they now part ways with the L.A. Clippers, Memphis Grizzlies, Charlotte Hornets, Minnesota Timberwolves and the New Orleans Pelicans as the only teams that are yet to be present in the NBA Finals.
The Nuggets will likely prepare and set to face the eighth-seeded Miami Heat for their championship bout, as the club is up with a commanding 3-0 series lead against the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference Finals.
Game 1 of the 2023 NBA Finals is slated on June 1.
