Lakers outshined by Nuggets once more in clutch, face 3-0 deficit

LOS ANGELES — For the third time in as many video games within the Western Convention finals, the result was up for grabs within the fourth quarter, and the Los Angeles Lakers could not full the duty.

Saturday’s 119-108 loss to the Denver Nuggets to fall behind 3-0 within the collection might need contained totally different particulars than L.A.’s two defeats to start the collection, however the basic theme was the identical: The West’s No. 1 seed did extra when it mattered most.

Now one loss away from their season being over, the Lakers, who began the season 2-10 and fully overhauled the roster simply earlier than the All-Star break, are hoping they’ve another unbelievable run left in them.

“Simply received to get one,” stated LeBron James, who completed with 23 factors, 12 assists and seven rebounds however missed 11 of 19 pictures — together with 4 of 6 within the fourth quarter. “Simply one by one. Simply deal with Sport 4, and you already know, that is all you possibly can actually take into consideration.”

If there was one sport that appeared attainable for the Lakers, Saturday was it. The Lakers had been at residence, the place they’d but to lose this postseason. Nuggets star Nikola Jokic had as many fouls as made subject targets (4) by the primary three quarters. Anthony Davis (28 factors on 11-for-18 taking pictures, 18 rebounds) was impactful.

However with the sport hanging within the steadiness, the Nuggets took it, utilizing a 13-0 run from the 7:48 mark of the fourth quarter till there was 4:50 remaining to place it out of the Lakers’ attain. Jokic, with 15 factors on 5-for-7 taking pictures within the fourth, was the very best participant on the court docket to shut it.

NBA groups are 0-149 when trailing 3-0 in a best-of-seven collection, and the Lakers as a franchise have by no means even pressured a Sport 5 when on this place, going 0-8, in response to analysis by ESPN Stats & Data.

L.A. trailed by three within the closing minute in Video games 1 and a pair of. And the Lakers had their possibilities in Sport 3, taking the lead within the fourth. The Nuggets have edged the Lakers constantly sufficient to show a seemingly small margin between the 2 groups into a large hole heading into Sport 4.

“I believe it has been the well timed pictures by their function gamers,” James stated when requested what he felt the distinction has been.

To James’ level, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (17 factors), Bruce Brown (15 factors) and Michael Porter Jr. (14 factors) all had their moments on Saturday. In keeping with information compiled by ESPN Stats & Data, Brown is 8-for-13 (3-for-7 on 3s); Caldwell-Pope is 11-for-17 (5-of-11) and Porter is 8-for-15 (7-for-11) on open pictures within the collection.

The Lakers did not get the identical well-rounded contributions from their roster in Sport 3, with D’Angelo Russell (three factors on 1-for-8 taking pictures), Jarred Vanderbilt (two factors, 1-for-4) and Dennis Schroder (5 factors, 2-for-5) all struggling on offense.

“For me? Oh, I do not know,” Russell stated when requested what he wants to alter in his method to be efficient towards Denver. “I actually do not. I do not know. I will attempt to determine it out.”

The Lakers have accomplished a fairly good job of figuring issues out on the fly this season, first securing a spot within the play-in match with a bunch of recent faces whereas James missed a month late within the season with a foot damage, then changing into simply the second No. 7 seed ever to succeed in the convention finals. They sounded devoted to the uphill climb they have been on, as long as there are nonetheless video games on the schedule.

“We are able to both come out Monday and go residence or we are able to battle for one more day, and with the group of men that we have, I do know what that reply might be,” stated Austin Reaves, who has topped 20 factors in all three video games this collection.

The chances should not in L.A.’s favor, in fact. Practically two-thirds of the groups in NBA historical past to be down 3-0 received swept (91 of 149). Solely three of these groups even pressured a Sport 7.

The Lakers will conduct a movie session Sunday and arrive to work Monday for Sport 4, hoping to increase the season to Tuesday and past.

“Circumstances are what they’re,” Lakers coach Darvin Ham stated. “Tough however not unimaginable.”