LOS ANGELES — During a timeout halfway by the third quarter Saturday in Crypto.com Arena, three younger Lakers followers stood in a nook of the decrease bowl and held up separate placards. They learn: PLEASE … PLAY … HARD.
The request of the Lakers was comprehensible contemplating their Lakers have been battling history in addition to the defending NBA champion Denver Nuggets, who had received 11 in a row towards Los Angeles and have been one victory from sweeping them out of the playoffs for the second consecutive yr.
But that’s the factor about sports activities — you by no means actually know what’s going to occur. And this night time would end up to be as surreal because it was stunning. I imply, who might have predicted that Los Angeles guard D’Angelo Russell would go from maligned to magnificent, or that Nuggets star Jamal Murray would do his greatest unhealthy Russell impersonation?
On this night time, the Lakers not solely performed arduous, they received, beating the Nuggets 119-108 to drive a Game 5 of their first-round playoff collection.
“We’ve given ourselves another life,” LeBron James mentioned after scoring 30 factors, together with 14 within the fourth quarter. “We’ve given ourselves another lifeline, and it’s a one-game series for us.”
Locked In 👑 pic.twitter.com/Sr57EfGzOw
— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) April 28, 2024
It would have been simple for Russell and the Lakers to organize trip plans after a dispiriting loss to the Nuggets two nights earlier. Russell had failed to rating in 24 minutes and the Lakers had collapsed within the second half for the third consecutive sport this collection, leaving them not solely on the cusp of playoff elimination but additionally battling an undefeated opponent: history.
No NBA group has ever rallied to win a best-of-seven collection after trailing 3-0 — 151 have tried and 151 have failed. The Lakers might add to that listing (and so might the Suns and Pelicans) as early as Monday night time.
To consider that Saturday night time was something apart from a delaying of the inevitable is to consider Russell can proceed to play in addition to he did Saturday when he scored 21 factors and had 4 assists and 4 rebounds. And at this level, there’s nothing in his previous to counsel that. Nor is there something to persuade me to consider Murray will shoot 9-for-23 from the sphere and 0 of 4 from behind the arc once more, as he did Saturday.
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No matter what the Lakers mentioned afterward — and they used the one-game-at-a-time mantra — this was doubtless their final stand. The sport was about respect greater than a real perception that they go from 11 consecutive losses to 4 consecutive wins towards the Nuggets. Trusting James and Anthony Davis, who had 25 factors and 23 rebounds, is straightforward. They’ve been phenomenal within the collection. It’s the supporting solid that’s the issue.
Was the group adequate on this night time? Yes. But a damaged clock is correct twice a day. The problem is to have the position gamers step up persistently. When they do, the Lakers can play with anybody. We noticed that Saturday and have seen it at instances in the course of the collection.
Fact is, the Lakers don’t win Game 4 with out Russell’s key contributions within the second half, notably halfway by the fourth quarter. With the Nuggets in search of to make one in every of their patented late runs, he stalled the cost with a layup, an offensive rebound that was tipped to Davis for a layup, an help to James for a dunk, and a 3-pointer of his personal. He was an element on 4 consecutive scores because the Lakers turned what had been a 97-84 benefit into their largest lead of the night, 106-87.
LeBron out of nowhere! pic.twitter.com/QTnyyFiNLO
— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) April 28, 2024
“He was amazing,” Lakers guard Austin Reaves mentioned. “He had one of his signature runs where he gets two or three quick buckets that feel like 12-0 runs itself. Just the style of basketball that he plays, we needed him to be at his highest level for us to be successful. And tonight that’s what he did. You have to tip your hat to a guy like that. The world is killing him after Game 3 for the performance that he had. It’s probably a lot easier than y’all think to just go fold and let all that distract you. But he didn’t. It just shows how much we need him.”
A stage of immaturity has shadowed Russell for a lot of his profession. It’s one purpose the eighth-year professional is now together with his fourth group and second stint with the Lakers, who initially drafted him second total in 2015. The expertise has at all times been there, however the focus and consistency haven’t, which is why it’s troublesome to see the Lakers getting previous the Nuggets.
So many issues went proper for them Saturday. Russell performed effectively, whereas Murray didn’t; Denver managed solely 5 second-chance factors and 9 offensive rebounds; and, for as soon as this collection, the Lakers stored tempo within the third quarter. They have been outscored 32-30 within the interval, however that’s a far cry from the earlier video games, together with Thursday night time once they have been outscored 34-22.
“We have a lot of confidence in our team,” Davis mentioned. “We’ve had the lead a lot in this series; it’s just been our second half, actually our third quarters, where we haven’t been able to execute. Our confidence was never lost at any point.”
GO DEEPER
For Lakers and Darvin Ham, one other blown lead leaves extra questions than solutions
Several gamers mentioned they didn’t give attention to Game 4 being an elimination sport as a result of everybody knew the truth of the state of affairs. Instead, they did as coach Darvin Ham prompt — they leaned into the chance to compete and the enjoyment of enjoying unfastened and free.
“Everything that we’ve been through as a team, on the court, off the court, we deserve tonight,” Ham mentioned. “We’ve just got to bottle it up and really keep it pushing and really understand that, it can be our time. Why not us?”
The reply might come Monday night time in Denver.
(Photo of D’Angelo Russell (1) high-fiving Spencer Dinwiddie and Gabe Vincent: Andrew D. Bernstein / NBAE through Getty Images)
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