DENVER, Colorado – The Denver Nuggets, who finished first in the Western Conference during the regular season, are in excellent shape and appear ready to sweep their way into the first NBA Finals in franchise history.

Against the host Los Angeles Lakers in Game 4 of the Western Conference playoffs, the Denver Nuggets will get their first opportunity to advance. Denver defeated Los Angeles 119-108 on Saturday to win its third straight game in the series.

Denver was on the verge of reaching a new low during a three-minute period.

As a result of early foul trouble, Jokic only managed to score 24 points with eight assists and six rebounds. He had a streak of four straight triple-doubles in postseason games before this effort. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, a former Laker, scored 17 points, while Jamal Murray stepped up with 30 points in the first half and 37 overall.

It amounts to four opportunities for the Nuggets to progress, two of which may be at home. The series would move to Denver for Game 5 on Wednesday if the Lakers can win Game 4.

It appears like the Lakers’ remarkable postseason run has reached its end. In order to get past the No. 2-seeded Memphis Grizzlies in the first round and the reigning champion Golden State Warriors in the second, they had to win the play-in tournament.

The Lakers have played well in each of the first three games of the Western Conference finals, but they haven’t had the winning touch to advance a game.

In Game 3, Davis scored 28 points and pulled down 18 rebounds, while LeBron James and Austin Reaves both scored 23. James provided another 12 assists. The Lakers’ defensive focus was on the fourth-quarter 60.0 percent shooting by the Nuggets. Additionally, Denver had 30 assists and only six turnovers.

Meanwhile, Miami Heat defeat Celtics to lead 3 to 0 in series

With a 128 to 102 victory over the Boston Celtics on Sunday, Gabe Vincent scored 29 points to assist the Miami Heat, who are playing in the NBA Finals, get within one win of making their second trip in four seasons.

Duncan Robinson and Caleb Martin each added 22 and 18 points off the bench, and Vincent made 11 of his 14 field goal attempts, including 6 of 9 from beyond the arc.

Jimmy Butler led eighth-seeded Miami with 16 points, 8 rebounds, and 6 assists while the team shot a scorching 56.8 percent from the field (46 of 81) and 54.3 percent from 3-point range (19 of 35). Before Game 4 of the best-of-seven series on Tuesday in Miami, the Heat advanced to 6-0 at home in the playoffs.

It’s a fight to the finish for the Celtics. A 3 to 0 series disadvantage has never been overcome by a team in NBA history.

A 28 to 9 run by Miami in response, which was led by a pair of 3-pointers by Vincent, allowed them to take control of the game.