LeBron James and the Lakers managed a vital victory, not only avoiding a playoff exit but also snapping an 11-game skid against the Denver Nuggets. This thrilling 119-108 win in Game 4 breathes new life into their first-round series as they prepare for Game 5 in Denver this Tuesday (April 30). If the series continues, Game 6 will be hosted in Los Angeles on Thursday (May 2), with a winner-take-all Game 7 scheduled for Saturday in Denver. The Lakers were highly productive offensively, hitting 52.2% of their shots and scoring 119 points—one of their strongest outputs against Denver in their last 12 meetings.
LeBron James and the rest of the Los Angeles Lakers accomplished more than just avoid playoff elimination by snapping an 11-game losing streak to the Denver Nuggets in a thrilling encounter. The Lakers’ 119-108 victory in Game 4 of the first-round NBA playoff series gives them hope heading into Tuesday’s (April 30) Game 5 in Denver. Game 6 will take place on Thursday (May 2) in Los Angeles while Game 7 will take place on Saturday in Denver. The Lakers shot 52.2 percent from the field (48-for-92), and the 119 points were their second-highest output versus the Nuggets in the last 12 games.
LeBron James put on a clinic, scoring 30 points with 14 successful shots out of 23. Anthony Davis was equally dominant, pairing 25 points with a massive 23 rebounds. But the standout narrative was the redemption of D’Angelo Russell; after going 0-for-7 in Game 3, he surged back to score 21 points, including four triples. Although the Lakers started the third quarter poorly—missing their first three attempts—they managed to overcome the trend of previous games. While the Nuggets had dominated the third quarters in the first three matchups (outscoring LA 91-60), the Lakers held a 61-48 lead at the half in this contest, fighting to keep the game within their control.
The Lakers began the third quarter by missing their first three shots, and Lakers supporters were undoubtedly thinking, “Here we go again.” The Lakers led at halftime for the fourth consecutive game, this time by 61-48. However, in the previous three games, the Nuggets had outscored the Lakers in the third quarter, 91-60, to secure victory.
According to Russell, the team made a conscious 'third-quarter adjustment,' which even included a more focused warmup routine. Despite those initial missed shots at the start of the period, the Lakers played the second half with a level of intensity and focus that had been missing in previous games. Russell explained that the strategy was simple: be aggressive and dictate the pace rather than playing defensively and letting Denver dictate the game.
Even though Denver technically won the third quarter 32-30, the Lakers' substantial 11-point cushion kept them confident as they entered the final frame. LeBron James acknowledged that their struggles in the third quarter had been a recurring 'Achilles heel' throughout the entire season, emphasizing just how critical it was for the team to finally resolve that issue.