In Game 4, the Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Denver Nuggets 119-108, powered by a remarkable 30-point effort by LeBron James. This victory maintained the Lakers’ prospects of making the NBA playoffs.
James remarked, “Well, the only thing we have to do is play the next game.” And we’ve resurrected another existence for ourselves. We’ve given ourselves another chance at redemption, and this is just a one-game series.
The Lakers have now defeated the Nuggets for the first time since December 2022, snapping an 11-game losing run to the reigning NBA champions.
Anthony Davis, who matched his career best in rebounds in the playoffs with 25 points and 23 rebounds, was a major factor. His heroics, along with the 21 points apiece from D’Angelo Russell and Austin Reaves, drove the Lakers to a crucial victory.
“Being swept is difficult,” Davis remarked. “Nobody wants to feel like that, especially when summer is approaching. That’s a feeling you will have to endure for the remainder of the summer. Thus, we didn’t actually discuss it. We are aware of the stakes. No one desires to have such sensation in their mouth the entire summer. We must play the remainder of the series the way we did tonight.
After the game, James stated, “We’ve given ourselves another lifeline, and it’s a one-game series for us,” highlighting how important the next Game 5 in Denver is. The Lakers faced elimination going into the game, but they bounced back with the energy of a club that had won 12 of their previous 15 games to start the postseason strong.
Even with so much on the line, the Lakers remained calm. Late in the game, they had a 19-point lead that the Nuggets were able to trim to seven points. But Reaves’ big contributions, including a timed jump shot and vital free throws, sealed the victory for the Lakers.
The Nuggets made an unsuccessful attempt at a comeback, led by Nikola Jokic’s outstanding 33 points, 14 rebounds, and 14 assists. Jokic was aware that he needed to get off to a better start, but he was still committed to finishing well.
Naturally, Jokic remarked, “We want to (start faster), but in horse racing, it’s not about how you start, it’s about how you finish.” “Today’s finish wasn’t very good, but perhaps we can improve. Yes, we would like to be in charge of the game and be up, but it doesn’t look like it happened to us.
Jokic was honest about the difficulties his team had on the floor and praised the Lakers’ aggressive approach, which resulted in several easy layups and dominating inside scoring. Jokic said that even if both teams occasionally had trouble shooting, this had a big effect on the Nuggets’ defensive play.
Jokic remarked, “They were really pushing the pace.” Their layups were open. We were being destroyed by them in the paint. We failed to get a shot in. They occasionally failed to hit a shot as well, but it appears that this had a significant impact on our defense. That group is excellent.
Denver’s sluggish beginnings to the series were concerning, particularly given their defensive intensity issues. Coach of the Nuggets Michael Malone voiced his displeasure with his team’s defense, citing the Lakers’ astounding 72-point performance in the paint as a specific source of concern.
Malone said, “The paint (defense) was a joke,” calling attention to a problem that kept coming up during the match.
The Lakers showed resiliency as the Nuggets had difficulties. Davis emphasized the team’s tenacity by saying, “It’s difficult to get swept.” Nobody likes to feel like that, especially when summer is approaching.
The Lakers’ offensive-centric approach was evident in their 44 points they scored in the paint in only the first half and their ability to stay in control of the game.
Their work prepares the audience for a high-stakes Game 5, when both sides know that every second counts in this game.
“We know and understand that Monday’s game is the most important one of the season for us, so if we lose, that’s it,” James remarked. “You persevere and you succeed.”
