NBA Game Notes (May 16, 2023)

Here are the NBA game notes for games that were played on May 16, 2023.

Nuggets Survive Furious Rally

The Denver Nuggets built a 21-point third-quarter lead, then survived a furious rally to defeat the Los Angeles Lakers 132-126 in Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals. The teams will meet again in Denver Thursday night, where the Nuggets have a 7-0 record this postseason.

The Nuggets’ Nikola Jokic was sublime, compiling 34 points, 21 rebounds, 14 assists, and two blocks. It’s the fourth time in NBA history a player has recorded at least 30 points, 20 rebounds, and 10 assists in a playoff game. Jokic is the only player to produce multiple such games:

• Wilt Chamberlain (March 22, 1967)

• Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (April 13, 1970)

• Nikola Jokic (June 11, 2021)

• Jokic (May 16, 2023)