Los Angeles Lakers

Denver had owned this rivalry for years, and the third quarter felt like more of the same, a 17-point lead gone and the Nuggets writing another familiar script. With the season series rubber match on the line on March 14, 2026, the Lakers refused the ending. Smart got it to LaRavia, who found LeBron on the right wing for a no-dribble pull-up triple that set an early tone. Down three with 5.2 seconds left in regulation, Austin Reaves sank the first free throw, read Denver's coverage, deliberately banked the second off the left rim, chased his own miss and floated in a nine-footer with 1.9 seconds left to force overtime. Then, with the extra period tied, Reaves found Luka Doncic on the baseline, where he faded into a 17-foot step-back jumper with 0.5 seconds remaining, his first game-winner as a Laker. Doncic finished with 30 points, 11 rebounds and 13 assists, Reaves added 32, and the Lakers won their first season series over Denver since 2021, 127-125.