LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. – Nobody weathers a storm like Jamal Murray.

As the Nuggets saw their massive fourth-quarter lead melt away, their season and their hopes hanging in the balance, Murray put a resounding stop to what felt like an inevitable Lakers comeback.

Murray’s two clutch 3-pointers, sandwiched in-between a beautiful find to Nuggets veteran Paul Millsap for a dunk, saved Denver’s season. The Nuggets survived a furious Lakers rally to hang on 114-106 in Tuesday’s dramatic Game 3 of the Western Conference Finals.

Murray’s stunning line of 28 points, 12 assists and eight rebounds gave his team life after the dejection of Sunday’s buzzer-beater. Now down 2-1, the Nuggets will try and even the series up Thursday night.

What was once a 20-point lead dwindled to just four with 3:33 remaining in the game. The Nuggets nearly wilted under the Lakers’ ball pressure and the swarming, swatting presence of LeBron James. But despite the incessant chaos, Murray’s shooting prevented a complete collapse.

Nikola Jokic added 22 points and 10 rebounds, and the Nuggets got huge boosts from Jerami Grant (playoff career-high 26 points) and Monte Morris (14). On Tuesday, the Nuggets got the supplemental help they badly needed over Games 1 and 2.

James (30) and Anthony Davis (27) countered with giant performances themselves.

For a moment in the third quarter, it looked like James would assert his physical dominance over whatever stood in his way. He had three consecutive baskets after taking an elbow to the chin from Murray, and momentum was temporarily swinging.

But Grant’s two-way energy momentarily changed the game. He weathered James’ run with 12 third-quarter points himself, including an easy two off of one of the Lakers’ careless turnovers. Los Angeles had four in the quarter alone to break up their offensive rhythm and fuel Denver’s transition game. Los Angeles had cut the lead to just five early in the quarter before the Nuggets closed strong. They took a 93-75 lead into the fourth.

Coach Michael Malone had seen enough of his team’s mettle over the last two months to know that the Nuggets, despite their disappointment, would approach Game 3 with a clear head.

“Yeah, I think they’ve earned my trust,” Malone said. “We’ve been down 3-1, 3-1 back-to-back series. To respond to a devastating loss at the buzzer takes a special team. I think that’s what we have, a special group of guys. That was our message yesterday as we ed the film. … Our group still believes. We were right there. We should have won that game, in our opinion. Anthony Davis made a great shot, give him credit. But we have confidence that we can beat this team.”

It began on the defensive end, just as it did against the Jazz and Clippers. Without an engaged, connected defense, neither 3-1 comeback would’ve happened.

On Tuesday, the Nuggets forced nine turnovers in the first half, including five from James. They also made a concerted effort to dominate the glass and end Lakers possessions as quickly as possible.

“I think our second half defense (on Sunday), if we can try to replicate that for four quarters tonight, now we’re going to give ourselves a great chance to get our first win in this series and make it interesting,” Malone said.

For the first time since Game 3 of the second round, the Nuggets carried a lead into halftime. Rather than wallow in Sunday’s dispiriting outcome, they played with poise and purpose, building a 63-53 lead at the break.

Jokic impacted nearly all facets of the game. The degree of difficulty on some of his shots was ridiculous, and his urgency spread throughout the team. Whether it was him pushing the pace or probing the defense with devious looks, Jokic was an unremitting force. His 15-point, seven-rebound, four-assist half led the movement that produced a lead as big as 18 points in the first half.

Outside of strong starts from the Lakers’ devastating frontcourt pairing, the difference was Denver’s bench. For the second straight game, Michael Porter Jr. played with great energy and confidence on both ends. But Morris captained the second unit almost flawlessly. Together, they hung 21 points in the first half.