The Lakers lost Game 4 against the Nuggets because Denver was able to come back in the third quarter after Los Angeles struggled on the offensive end.
The Lakers dropped Game 4, 113-111, to the Denver Nuggets to send them home for the summer.
LeBron James played all 48 minutes and, despite missing two late shots to tie the game, the King finished with 40 points on 60 percent shooting from the field. While he had help from other players in this series, he lacked offensive support from the rest of his teammates.
The Lakers blew the lead in the first half, but were terrible on the offensive end after halftime. The Nuggets caught up with Los Angeles in the third quarter, making the fourth extremely interesting.
Los Angeles struggled to contain the Nuggets’ three-point range in the fourth quarter, making a comeback unlikely. However, the Lakers were able to keep it this close.
They had two chances to win the game late. James missed a layup followed by a missed layup in the offensive zone.
3 reasons the Lakers lost Game 4 to the Nuggets
Los Angeles’ offensive performance in the third quarter
LA couldn’t get anything going on the offensive end in the third quarter of this game. In the third quarter, they made no shots from three and made just one shot at the rim.
This is where Anthony Davis’ ineffectiveness really came into play and cost the Lakers the game.
The Lakers were caught in a dogfight in the fourth quarter, as they couldn’t get anything going in the third quarter. Denver outscored LA by 20 points.
During the third quarter, the ball did not get into James’ hands enough.
Terrible performance by Anthony Davis
Davis ended up saving free throws, but his shooting stats show just how bad of a game he had.
The All NBA player shot a terrible 40 percent from the floor. He was a little better in the fourth quarter, but he didn’t really deliver on the offensive end.
Late in the game, he fouls Jamal Murray for three as the late switch defends the pick-and-roll. The game was tied at that point, and this foul gave the Nuggets a three-point lead.
Davis had a really up-and-down postseason that ended with two terrible performances in the series, which was one of the main reasons the Lakers were sent home.
Inability to contain Nikola Jokic
In this game, it seemed that Jokic was able to do what he wanted. Davis couldn’t do much in the fourth quarter other than block Jokic’s shot. Rui Hachimura also struggled when defending Jokic. This entire series, Jokic was able to get what he wanted.
Yes, Jokic was destined to get his thing, but there was no way the Lakers could land the two-time MVP in this series.
Jokic finished with 30 points, 14 rebounds and 13 assists. He was named MVP of the series as he heads to his first NBA Finals. The Nuggets’ next game is in nine days, and Jokic is four wins away from his first title.
The Lakers are coming home from a 4-0 game that no one really expected. Yes, Denver was about a 50-50 chance to win this series. Still, the fact that this streak only went four games is pretty shocking. Los Angeles should look to replace D’Angelo Russell with a more offensively consistent point guard in the playoffs and will hear Anthony Davis trade talk throughout the offseason.
The Nuggets will be heading to the Finals for the first time in team history. This is a great moment for the franchise and will allow them to possibly win their first title as a home team with their main three pieces coming from their own draft.