The Los Angeles Lakers advanced to their first NBA Finals since the 2009-2010 season with a 117-107 victory over the Denver Nuggets Saturday night in game five of the Western Conference Finals at the bubble at the Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida. Los Angeles wins the series 4-1.
LeBron James led all scorers with a triple double registering 38 points, 16 rebounds, and 10 assists. Anthony Davis added 27 points. Denver got 20 points each from Jerami Grant and Nikola Jokic. The Nuggets had reached the Western Finals by rallying from 3-1 series deficits to both Utah and the LA Clippers in the second and third rounds respectively. James will play in his 10th career NBA Finals, having played now in 9 of the last 10. Los Angeles is now 67-27, while Denver finishes their season at 58-42. The Lakers will face the East winner between Miami and Boston. The Heat lead that series 3-2, with game six to be played Sunday night.
At the NHL Stanley Cup Finals at the bubble in Edmonton, Corey Perry scored 9:23 into the second overtime to keep the Dallas Stars alive with a 3-2 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning Saturday night.
Perrys game winner was his second of the game, and Joe Pavelski had the game tying goal for Dallas with 6:45 left in regulation that eventually sent the game into overtime. Ondrej Palat and Mikhail Sergachev scored for Tampa Bay, who was looking to celebrate their first Stanley Cup Title since the 2003-2004 season and second overall. The Lightning still lead the series 3-2 and game six is set for faceoff shortly after 8 p.m. Monday night.
