WATCH: Jamal Murray's game-winner sends LeBron James and Lakers home for 2nd consecutive year
Jamal Murray did it again. For the second time in the Denver Nuggets’ first-round series against the LA Lakers, the Canadian guard drilled a game-winning shot, but this one carried more weight as it propelled them to the second round of the playoffs.
With just seconds remaining and the score tied at 106, Jamal Murray utilized a screen from Nikola Jokic to penetrate the interior, where he sank a midrange jumper in front of Austin Reaves that eliminated the Lakers for the second consecutive year.
Watch Jamal Murray’s game-winning play here:
Murray was also behind the Lakers' heartbreak in Game 2, where he drilled a buzzer-beating jumper that gave them a 2-0 series lead. Tied at 99-all after LeBron James missed a wide-open 3-pointer, the guard took matters into his own hands, sinking a jumper over Anthony Davis as time expired.
The Nuggets are set to square off against the Minnesota Timberwolves in the second round, a matchup that saw the two teams split their four regular-season games.
Jamal Murray stars in Nuggets' thrilling Game 5 win
Murray scored a game-high 32 points to lead the Nuggets in Game 5. He also had seven assists in 40 minutes of play.
After the game, Murray told the broadcast that his game-winning shot in Game 5 felt better than his iconic buzzer-beater in Game 2.
"This one's a little better," he said. I’m speechless. It’s a dream come true."
Reigning Finals MVP and regular-season MVP favorite Nikola Jokic also had a monster game for the Nuggets, finishing with 25 points, 20 rebounds and nine assists in 41 minutes of play.
Michael Porter Jr., who played nearly 46 minutes, scored an efficient 26 points on 8-for-12 shooting, including 5-for-7 from 3-point distance.
The Nuggets shot 16-for-38 or 42.1% from deep, while the Lakers struggled, shooting 10-for-35 from beyond the arc.
LeBron James led the Lakers in Game 5 with 30 points, 11 assists and nine rebounds in 44 minutes. Anthony Davis finished with 17 points and 15 rebounds.
The rest of the Lakers starters combined for 48 points, with Austin Reaves chipping in 19 points, Rui Hachimura chalking up 15 and D'Angelo Russell contributing 14.
While the series ended early again, with the Nuggets sweeping them last year in four games and winning in five games this year, it was a closely contested series, with the margins of victory being 11, two, seven, 11 and two points.