Nearly 55 Years Later, Another (108-106), Monday Night Series Ending Lakers’ Loss To The Defending NBA Champion

Last night, six days shy of 55 years later in another Monday night game, the Lakers, once so loved by me, that no longer the case, were eliminated from the NBA ‘offs, by the defending NBA champion Denver Nuggets, again with a (108-106) final score.

Jamal Murray, for the second straight Monday night in Denver, hit the decisive shot (this with 3 seconds left tied, last week at the game’s literal end, also tied) as the defending champion Nuggets rose to (8-1) vs L.A. (the Lakers and yes, Leb James, who now ponders jumping teams yet again, for the most part, very well, respectively leading for three fourths of the series minutes and averaging nearly 30 points per tilt) in the last 2 playoff seasons and are now (2-7) all-time in ‘offs series. (Note: the Lakers/Nuggets series winner has gone on to 6 NBA final rounds, winning 5 (4 by the Lakers including one not so dignified one in a bubble) after the previous 8 such series.

Last night’s defending champion win was only a first round clinching game, juxtaposed with the Boston Celtics (108-106) win in #7, for “all the marbles,” in what was the last game for greats, Bill Russell and Sam Jones, giving the Celtics an incredible, likely never to be matched or certainly topped 11th title in 13 seasons–11 for “Russ” and 10 for Sam, who still gets so much less credit as he is one of the greatest clutch performers in any sport—

I “mourned” that night, however 19 years later when “my” still Lakers won (108-105) vs an already great and certainly to be such, Detroit Pistons team at the L.A. Forum on summer’s first night, I was fortunate to see the great Jerry West, he who lost so many to the Celtics and yes, twice to the now looming? Knicks, and noted the eerily similar score, in favor of the first repeat NBA champion since those ’69 Celtics.

Ahead? Likely the top ranked Celtics, though Mr. Porzingas left last night’s “cover/all tease” win at Miami to take (3-1) command? and East “2” Knicks will meet 50 years after their last semi clash, which was won in 5 by the Celtics, vs the defending champion Knicks in “same calendar” 1974.

Denver now is over a 2 to 1 quarterfinal series favorite, vs the upstart Minnesota Timberwolves. The latter team, the NBA West “3” (Denver is the “2” with home advantage, the “1” seed, also upstart Oklahoma City Thunder swept the New Orleans Pelicans and await the Clippers/Mavs series winner. Only 3 of the 16 first round series were/are (2-2), two involving Dallas teams, the aforementioned Mavericks and the NHL West top seed Stars vs defending champion Las Vegas (Golden Knights),– Wolves advanced in the ‘offs for just the second time in their 12 ‘offs appearances.