LOS ANGELES – The Lakers earned a visit again to Denver.
Listed here are three takeaways from Denver’s 119-108 loss on Saturday at Crypto.com Enviornment:
1. Denver’s paint protection continued to be an issue Saturday. After the Lakers scored 70 factors within the paint in Recreation 3, Anthony Davis and firm surpassed that quantity Saturday. The Lakers scored 24 of their 28 first-quarter factors within the paint and had a 42-24 benefit within the class at halftime. Los Angeles completed with 72 factors within the paint to Denver’s 52. If the Nuggets don’t wish to return to Los Angeles for a sixth sport, they’ll must defend the inside higher. Davis completed with 25 factors and 23 rebounds.
2. The Nuggets have nobody responsible however themselves. Regardless of the Lakers’ dominance inside and home-court benefit, the Nuggets had a 25-16 benefit in free throws earlier than they began fouling deliberately within the ultimate 40 seconds. The Crypto.com crowd chanted “Refs, you suck,” after Nikola Jokic earned Denver’s twentieth and twenty first free throws late within the third quarter. The Lakers had simply eight free throws on the time. Lakers followers repeated the mantra minutes later when Jokic obtained again to the road for his eighth and ninth free throws of the sport.
3. Michael Porter Jr. was, as soon as once more, Denver’s second-best participant. Porter recorded a double-double within the third quarter and began the fourth quarter with 25 factors and 10 rebounds. He completed the sport with 27 factors, 11 rebounds, one help and one steal in 40 minutes of taking part in time. He went 4 of 11 from 3, the one Nugget to make greater than two triples.
LAKERS 119, NUGGETS 108
What occurred: The Lakers led wire to wire to keep away from the sweep.
The Lakers led by 5 to begin the second quarter and Denver fell behind by 11 within the second. Los Angeles led 61-48 at halftime. The Nuggets shaved a few factors off the Lakers’ result in begin the fourth however did not ever take the lead.
What went proper: Nikola Jokic recorded his nineteenth playoff triple-double along with his first of help of the fourth quarter. He completed with 33 factors, 14 rebounds and 14 assists. For pretty much as good as he was offensively, Jokic was a part of Denver’s woes defending the paint and rebounding.
What went flawed: Aaron Gordon wasn’t in a position to match his productiveness from Recreation 3. After dropping playoff profession highs of 29 factors and 15 rebounds in Recreation 3, Gordon completed with seven factors and three rebounds.
Spotlight of the night time: A Nikola Jokic dime helped Denver get off to a greater begin Saturday. Denver’s point-center dribbled the ball on the high of the important thing along with his shoulders dealing with the sideline. When Michael Porter Jr. used an off-ball display from Jamal Murray and curled to the basket, Jokic wrapped a bounce move behind his again that hit Porter in stride. Porter had sufficient time and house to go up for a dunk that reduce the Lakers result in one in the course of the primary quarter earlier than Rui Hachimura might problem Porter on the rim.
Up subsequent: The Nuggets cannot begin specializing in a second-round matchup with the Timberwolves. It’s again to Denver for Monday’s Recreation 5 at Ball Enviornment.