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Nikola Jokic leads Nuggets to win over Lakers in playoff opener

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Nikola Jokic leads Nuggets to win over Lakers in playoff opener


DENVER (AP) — Nikola Jokic had 32 points and 12 rebounds, and the defending NBA champion Denver Nuggets powered past LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers 114-103 in their Western Conference playoff opener Saturday night.

Two other Nuggets players posted double-doubles, Jamal Murray (22 points, 10 assists) and Aaron Gordon (12 points, 11 rebounds) and Michael Porter Jr. came close with 19 points and eight boards.

James had 27 points for L.A. and Anthony Davis had 32 points and 14 rebounds, but the Lakers lost to the Nuggets for the ninth consecutive time and Denver handed James just his fourth loss in 17 first-round openers.

Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, who scored all 12 of his points after halftime, made a trio of 3-pointers in a 13-0 run the Nuggets used to seize control in the third quarter.

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Porter excelled on the court, as coach Michael Malone predicted he would, after a trying week for his family that saw one younger brother, Coban Porter, sentenced to six years in jail for a fatal drunken driving crash on Friday and another, former Toronto Raptors guard Jontay Porter, banned from the NBA for betting on basketball and disclosing confidential information to other bettors.

“There’s so much going on off the court for Michal Porter Jr. and his family,” Malone said. “This allows him to get back to doing something not only that he loves but also that he does very, very well.”

The Nuggets entered these playoffs with bullseyes on their backs but supremely confident of their chances to repeat after tying a franchise record with 57 regular season wins, four more than last year.

One sign of their looseness, Jokic, who’s starring in a teaser for “Despicable Me 4” where he seeks therapy because the Minions think he’s their boss, arrived at Ball Arena decked out in a black-and-gray striped scarf and gray pants, looking like Felonius Gru, the lead character from the movie franchise.

James should have shown up dressed like Vector because he played the perfect villain for the sold-out crowd that drowned out the Lakers’ pregame introductions.

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James ended a terrific first half in which he scored 19 points with a 32-foot 3-pointer to break a 57-all tie after the Lakers had blown a 12-point lead.

Denver’s 13-0 run in the third quarter threatened to make it a laugher as the Nuggets stretched their lead to 15 in the fourth quarter. But James made two free throws, Davis had a three-point play and Taurean Prince made a basket to cut the Lakers’ deficit to 96-88 with 7:17 remaining.

The closest they got to the Nuggets, though, was at 103-96 before Porter hit a 3 and Jokic had a dunk off a turnover by James to push Denver’s lead to 12.

The Nuggets are seeking to become the first team to successfully defend its NBA title since the Golden State Warriors did it in 2018.

Denver swept the Lakers in last season’s Western Conference finals, the next-to-last step the Nuggets had to clear before claiming their first NBA title.

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The Lakers haven’t beaten the Nuggets since Dec. 16, 2022. They’ll try again Monday night in Game 2 at Ball Arena, where Denver is now 34-8 this season.

James lost for just the 18th time in 80 first-round games. He lost a playoff opener for third time in his six seasons with the Lakers, and fourth overall. His team also lost series openers in Round 1 in 2018 (Indiana over Cleveland), 2020 (Portland over the Lakers) and 2021 (Phoenix over the Lakers).





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Denver, CO

Police searching for information after fatal assault in Denver

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Police searching for information after fatal assault in Denver


Denver police are looking for information that could help them identify the suspect in a fatal assault overnight.

Officers were called to the scene in the 9700 block of E. Hampden Avenue around 2:08 a.m. They said an injured man at the scene was taken to a hospital for treatment, but he has been pronounced deceased.

DPD says they’re investigating the case as a homicide. They did not provide the identity of the man who was killed or further details on the case.

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Police encouraged anyone with information about the attack or the possible suspect(s) involved to contact Metro Denver Crime Stoppers.



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Richard Jackson Obituary | The Denver Post

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Richard Jackson Obituary |  The Denver Post



Richard Jackson


OBITUARY

Richard E. Jackson, affectionately called “Jackson”, was beloved by his family, friends and colleagues. He passed peacefully surrounded by his wife and children. He was receiving exceptional medical care at City Park Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center at the time of his death. A devout Catholic, he received his Last Rights from Fr. John Ludanha of Blessed Sacrament Church and School.

He earned a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from Gannon University and a Master’s degree in Education from the George Washington University. For over 30 years, he was employed by the federal government, mostly as an analyst for the Social Security Administration (SSA). Other positions he held were: Beneficiary Services Specialist, Division of Medicare, Health Care Financing Administration; Public Affairs Specialist for SSA; and Management Analyst SSA Office of Management and Budget. After he retired, he was a consultant to the State of Colorado Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

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Jackson was a devoted father, step-father and foster father. He would take over the kitchen and cook spaghetti and meatballs, a family favorite, and then transport children to gymnastics practice and friends’ houses. He had a remarkable sense of humor, bringing joy and laughter to his home. He adored his wife and would leave her weekly love notes in drawers around the house. Exercising at the Denver Athletic Club, taking walks with his wife, and reading the New York Times were three of his favorite activities. He was born in Westfield, New York. His parents were Canadian immigrants. He was the youngest of eight children.

He is survived by his wife, Joycee Kennedy; his children – Kimberly Jackson (Mike Estes), Dawn Jennings (Ed Jennings) and Kevin Jackson; his stepchildren – Cary Kennedy (Saurabh Mangalik) and Jody Kennedy (Christopher Thompson); his grandchildren – Elizabeth, Chase and Drew; his step grandchildren – Kadin, Kyra, Bryce and Sena; and his first wife Madonna Smyth.

Services will be held at Blessed Sacrament Church – the time and day to be announced.



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Students push for statewide

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Students push for statewide


Students from across the Denver metro are heading to the state Capitol to push for free after-school opportunities statewide.

The proposal would create a “My Colorado Card” program, giving students in sixth through 12th grades access to cultural, arts, recreational and extracurricular activities throughout the state.

For students like Itzael Garcia, Denver’s existing “My Denver Card” made a life-changing difference. He said having access to his local recreation center helped keep him safe.

Itzael Garcia explains how the My Denver Card program has helped him.

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“We had a couple stray bullets go through our living room window, we had people get shot in front of our house, different things like that,” Garcia said. “Over the summer, being able to go to the public pool, it provided a space for us to all come together. In a way, it acted as a protective factor.”

The My Denver Card provides youth ages 5 to 18 with free access to the zoo, museums and recreation centers. For some, like Garcia, it has served as a safe haven.

That impact is why students involved with the nonprofit FaithBridge helped craft legislation to expand a similar pilot program to communities outside Denver.

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“We really just thought that inequity and really distinct opportunity deserts for students was really important for us to correct,” said Mai Travi a junior at Thomas Jefferson High School. Another student echoed that sentiment.

“We have a lot of students in the program that come from Aurora Public Schools, and they don’t have access to the same cultural facilities that we have living here; opportunities that really define our childhood experiences,” said Jack Baker, also a junior at Thomas Jefferson High School.

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Vernon Jones (right) speaks with students in My Denver Card program.

CBS


Vernon Jones, director of the nonprofit FaithBridge, said organizers are still working out logistics but hope to partner with counties across Colorado.

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“This is a strategy to work for all of Colorado,” he said.

Denver school board member Marlene De La Rosa said the My Denver Card program has been impactful since its launch in 2013.

“For students that are on free and reduced lunch, the ‘My Denver Card’ can help scholarship some of their fees to participate in the youth sports at the recreation centers,” De La Rosa said.

Last year, 45,000 Denver youth had a card, accounting for 450,000 visits to recreation centers, outdoor pools and cultural facilities, she said.

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“I think it is very beneficial,” De La Rosa said.

The Denver program is funded by city tax dollars approved by voters in 2012. The proposed statewide pilot would instead rely on donations and grants.

The bill has cleared its first committee but still needs approval from the full House and Senate.

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