The Denver Nuggets defeated the Los Angeles Lakers 112-105 in Game 3 to take a dominating 3-0 lead in their first-round series. Nikola Jokić led the team. For the third straight game in this series, the Lakers built a double-digit lead in the first half, only to see it evaporate as the Nuggets put on their championship caps and took control in the second half.

Denver’s victory over Los Angeles on Thursday night was its 11th straight, including regular season and playoffs, dating back to the 2022-23 season. Despite their domination over the Lakers, the two-time NBA MVP urged his teammates not to be complacent as they attempt to wrap off the series on Saturday.

“I believe that each game gets tougher. They led by 20 in Denver and 12 in the first half of today. I believe it is really difficult to play against the same team repeatedly. You will not become bored with the play’s style or whatever. You just have to keep doing you, especially for us — because we’ve won the previous three — and believe what we’re doing. Don’t get bored with success because it can go wrong quickly.”

At this moment, it’s reasonable to say that the Lakers can’t beat the Nuggets, and there’s nothing Los Angeles can do to get to the 48-minute mark and win.