Denver Nuggets edge past Los Angeles Lakers in their NBA Western Conference Finals opener.

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Denver Nuggets edge past Los Angeles Lakers in their NBA Western Conference Finals opener.

Nikola Jokic recorded his sixth triple-double of these playoffs with 34 points, 21 rebounds, and 14 assists, powering the Denver Nuggets to a 132-126 win over the Los Angeles Lakers in their Western Conference Finals opener.

With the sensational win, Denver Nuggets powered to a 1-0 lead in the series against Los Angeles Lakers.

After a slow start, Anthony Davis had 40 points and 10 rebounds, and James finished with 26 points, 12 boards, and nine assists. Austin Reaves chipped in 23 points and fueled L.A.’s desperate fourth-quarter run that nearly erased Denver’s 14-point cushion after three.

Caldwell-Pope scored 21 points against his former team. Michael Porter Jr. had 15 points and 10 boards and Bruce Brown added 16 points.

The Nuggets led by as many as 21 but the Lakers pulled within three points twice in the fourth quarter, once on Reaves' 3-pointer at 124-121 and again on James' pair of free throws that made it 129-126 with 1:12 remaining.

In the fourth quarter, Rui Hachimura guarded Jokic, allowing Davis to crowd the paint and make things harder for the Nuggets big man to dominate the paint. But it wasn't enough.

After Jokic sank two free throws with 26 seconds left to give Denver a 131-126 lead, Murray poked the ball from James as he was about to take it to the hoop and Jokic gathered the loose ball before being fouled with 10.9 seconds left. He sank one of two and James misfired from 3 as the seconds ticked off.

Game two in the series will take place in Denver on Thursday.