LeBron James Leads Lakers to First NBA Finals in Decade

The Los Angeles Lakers qualified to the NBA Finals for the first time in 10 years, with a 117-107 victory over the Denver Nuggets.

LeBron James scored 38 points, 16 rebounds and 10 assists, , leading his team to the finals after its victory in Game 5 of the Western Conference finals on Saturday near Orlando.

After the victory over Nuggets, James became the fourth player to reach 10 NBA Finals.

It took him two seasons to make it with the Lakers, after falling short of the playoffs in an injury-plagued first season following eight consecutive trips with Miami and Cleveland.

"My teammates said bring us home and it was my responsibility to try to make the right plays and do the right things on the floor to help us win ballgames," James said during a trophy presentation.

Anthony Davis scored 27 points for the Lakers, who has reached their first NBA finals since 2010 when they defeated the Boston Celtics in seven games.

The Lakers will meet in the final with the Boston Celtics or the Miami Heat, according to Reuters.

Nikola Jokic had 20 points and seven rebounds for Nuggets. Jerami Grant also scored 20 points, while Jamal Murray, who sustained a right knee contusion in the first half, finished with 19 points and 8 assists.

Paul Millsap added 13 points.

Nuggets coach Michael Malone said: "So proud. What more could you ask from a group?"

"What more commitment, sacrifice, just everything in the last 82 days that our team has gone through. The history that we've made. The adversity that we faced and never ran from it, embraced it, owned it at times. From a pride perspective, I couldn't be more proud.", he added.