Despite LeBron James’ epic stamina, the Denver Nuggets beat the Los Angeles Lakers 113-111 on Monday to close the tie 4-0 on aggregate, advancing to their first NBA Finals.

LeBron James had 40 points, 10 rebounds and 9 assists without resting a single minute in a desperate attempt to continue in the fight for the eleventh final of his career.

After closing his twentieth season in the NBA, ‘King James’ expressed doubts about his future and, according to American media, he would even consider retiring.

“We’ll see what happens from now on. I don’t know. I have a lot to think about, to be honest. I have a lot to think about. For me personally, going forward with basketball, I’ve been thinking a lot,” James said in a cryptic message during the press conference.

Later, an ESPN reporter reported that James, who was aspiring to fight for his fifth ring, told her he was considering not playing next year.

The 38-year-old striker has two more seasons left on his contract with the Lakers and has always expressed his goal of continuing to play until his son Bronny arrives in the league, scheduled for 2024.

On Monday, James had the last shot to tie the game, but his rushing run to the basket was blocked by the Denver defense and his forced shot went far to the frustration of the 20,000 Los Angeles fans.

Nikola Jokic’s Nuggets, who trailed by 15 points at halftime, completed the sweep and will play the final against either the Miami Heat or the Boston Celtics.

The Heat, who lead 3-0, can also seal their spot in Game 4 on Tuesday in Miami.

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– A colossal Jokic –

The Lakers, who were one of the surprises of these playoffs, had before them the almost impossible mission of overcoming a 3-0 deficit, a feat that no team has ever achieved.

LeBron tried to rebel against a looming elimination and on Monday he showed himself ready for at least one victory that would save the honor of the Lakers, the NBA’s most successful franchise along with the Celtics.

The forward posted a stratospheric first half with a playoff-high 31 points, but his crusade was crushed by another spectacular all-around performance by the Nuggets, the West’s best regular-season team.

“We didn’t give up. It’s been five years and even when we were bad or good, we never gave up and that’s what happened today,” said Jokic, a two-time award winner. NBA MVP.

The Serbian had his eighth triple-double of these playoffs with 30 points, 14 rebounds and 13 assists and Canadian Jamal Murray added 25 points and 5 assists.

In this way, Jokic, voted MVP of this series, took the record for the triple double in the same post-season, which was held by the legendary Wilt Chamberlain with his sevens from 1967.

The Serb averaged a triple-double for the second round in a row and led the Nuggets until they broke their damned barrier in the Western Final.

In nearly half a century of history, Denver had crashed in this instance four times, the last three against the Lakers (1985, 2009 and 2020), and it is one of 11 teams that n don’t have a championship in their window.

– A bitter end –

The game got off to a flying start for the Lakers thanks to some successful adjustments in the starting lineup and LeBron James’ iron will to initiate a historic comeback.

The forward, who missed his first 13 3-point attempts in the series, found inspiration and dove on all four of his first-quarter shots.

With two free throws, James reached his scoring record in the first part of the playoffs with 31 points (11/13). In none of the previous three games had he reached a total of thirty points.

The Lakers went to the locker room with a 15-point (73-58) maximum advantage that went off the rails early in the second half in an offensive avalanche from Denver.

As the Lakers offense drowned if it didn’t get through James, Jokic reactivated and all of the Nuggets players collaborated in a devastating third quarter that ended in a 36-16 run.

The Lakers played out the season in a final quarter, which started five points behind.

After four free throws from Anthony Davis, the game was tied at 111 after a breathtaking final minute, in which Jokic put the Nuggets ahead and LeBron missed the Lakers’ final attempt to force overtime.

This resounding elimination puts a bitter end to the resurrection of the Lakers, who in February were out of the playoff places and ended up winning the ticket and eliminating the Grizzlies and the Warriors, current champions against all odds.