The Lakers will again try to avoid playoff elimination when their NBA Western Conference first-round series shifts back to Denver Monday night, seeking to be the second road team in the past 15 games to win a playoff game at Ball Arena.
“We got to be focused, we got to have our nutrition, our recovery, our antennas up, focus on the game plan, take it up even more notches so that we’re efficient and we know what we’re doing, we’re all on the same page competing our asses off,” coach Darvin Ham said after the 119-108 victory over the Denver Nuggets Saturday night at Crypto.com Arena that cut the deficit to three games to one.
None of the previous 151 NBA teams that have lost the first three games of a best-of-seven series has gone on to win the series.
Oddsmakers have made the Lakers a 7 1/2-8 1/2-point underdog. ESPN Analytics gives the Lakers a 33.1% chance of winning. It gave the Lakers 43% chance of winning Game 4 Saturday.
Denver won its final home playoff game in 2022, were 10-1 at home during the 2023 playoffs and won the first two home games of this series.
Saturday’s victory ended the Lakers’ 11-game losing streak against the Nuggets and meant a second consecutive season would not end with a sweep by Denver. The Nuggets swept the Lakers in last season’s Western Conference finals en route to their first NBA championship.
The Lakers built a double-digit lead for the fourth consecutive game, but were able hold it unlike the previous three.
The Lakers never trailed and led for the final 42 minutes, 54 seconds.
“We had some unfortunate fouls, some unfortunate turnovers, but we kept that scoreboard moving as well, which we have to do,” Ham said.
LeBron James led four Lakers in double figures with 30 points, while Anthony Davis scored 25, pulled down a game-high 23 rebounds, matching a playoff career high, and had a team-high equaling six assists.
Davis was “totally just dominant, just the way he’s been on the glass, has changed shots,” Ham said.
D’Angelo Russell bounced back from a scoreless game with 21 points, including a game-high equaling four 3-point baskets, while Austin Reaves also scored 21and had six assists.
Russell had a game-best plus-15 plus/minus, meaning the Lakers outscored Denver by 15 in the 40:58 he was on the court. Rui Hachimura was plus-13, Davis plus-11 and James and Reaves both plus-1.
The Lakers outscored the Nuggets 28-23 in the first quarter, with Davis scoring eight points on 4-for-5 shooting and pulling down seven rebounds and James and Reaves both scoring six.
The Lakers took their first double-digit lead 4:24 before halftime when Reaves scored seven consecutive points on a 27-foot 3-point basket, a 12-foot step back bank shot and two free throws, increasing their lead to 48-37.
The Lakers led 61-48 at halftime and led by at least seven and as many as 15 in the third quarter.
The Lakers were outscored 32-30 in the third quarter, as Michael Porter Jr. scored 15 points and Nikola Jokic 10, but Denver was only able to cut the deficit to 91-80.
The Lakers took their biggest lead, 106-87, after Russell completed a 7-0 run with a 3-point basket with 5:58 to play.
The Nuggets cut the deficit to seven, 113-106, on Jokic’s 3-point play with 1:25 left, but could not pull any closer.
The Lakers made 48 of 92 shots, 52.2%, including 8 of 26 3-point shots, 30.8%. Denver made 39 of 87 shots, 44.8%, including 9 of 30 3-point shots, 30%. The Lakers made 15 of 18 free throws, 83.3%, the Nuggets, 21 of 25, 84%.
The Lakers led 46-40 in rebounds. The Lakers committed 12 turnovers which Denver converted to 12 points. The Nuggets committed 14 turnovers which the Lakers converted into 13 points.
Jokic had 33 points and 14 assists, both game highs, and a team-high 14 rebounds. Porter added 27 and Jamal Murray 22.