The Lakers will try to avoid a second consecutive sweep at the hands of the Denver Nuggets when their NBA Western Conference first-round playoff series resumes Saturday at Crypto.com Arena.
The Lakers were unable to hold a double-digit lead for the third consecutive game, losing to the Nuggets, 112-105, Thursday night at Crypto.com Arena to fall behind 3-0.
None of the 151 teams that have lost the first three games of a best- of-seven series has gone on to win the series.
The Lakers led 53-49 at halftime. The Nuggets took their first lead, 58-55, 1 minute, 53 seconds into the second half after Jamal Murray scored five points during a 7-0 run. The Lakers would regain the lead twice, 59-58, and 61- 60, but never lead again.
Denver responded with a 13-2 run, with Aaron Gordon scoring eight points, to take a 73-63 lead with 4:57 to play in the quarter.
"We spent so much energy in the first half building leads or the defensive intensity that we have that we come out in the third quarter with not much energy or ... kind of lose track of attention to detail that we had in the first half," Laker forward LeBron James said.
The Lakers trailed 83-75 entering the fourth quarter, scored the first points of the quarter on James' 18-foot pullup shot, but never pulled closer, trailing by as much as 15, until Austin Reaves' 3-point basket with 4.1 seconds left cut the deficit to 110-105.
"You give credit where credit is due," James said. "Those guys made tough shot after tough shot after tough shot."
Both teams made 44 of 90 shots, 48.9%. The Lakers made 5 of 27 3-point shots, 18.5%, the Nuggets, 5 of 28, 17.9%.
"I thought pretty much we generated some really good (3-point) shots," James said. "We just didn't knock them down."
The Lakers made 12 of 17 free throws, 70.6%, Denver 19 of 22, 86.4%.
Laker center Anthony Davis said a key Saturday will be limiting Denver's second-chance points. The Nuggets had 19 second-chance points Thursday to 13 for the Lakers.
Denver led in rebounds, 51-38, including 26-17 in the second half, when it outscored the Lakers, 63-52.
Gordon led four Nuggets in double figures with 29 points, and had a game-high equaling 15 rebounds, while Nikola Jokic scored 24 points, also pulled down 15 rebounds and had a game-high equaling nine assists. Murray scored 22 points on 8-for-21 shooting, including 1-of-6 from 3-point range, with nine assists.
Davis led the Lakers with 33 points and 15 rebounds, while James scored 26 and had nine assists and Reaves 22 before a capacity crowd announced at 18,997, some of whom chanted "Fire Darvin," in the fourth quarter, referring to coach Darvin Ham.
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The Lakers scored the game's first eight points, then later scored six unanswered points to take a 27-17 lead with 4:48 left in the first quarter. The Lakers led 33-23 at the end of the first quarter and increased their lead to 37-25 10:38 before halftime.
The Lakers last had a double-digit lead with 4:08 remaining in the second quarter after Gabe Vincent made an 18-foot step back shot to put them ahead 47-37.
Denver scored the next six points on baskets by Murray, Michael Porter Jr. and Jokic. The Nuggets scored the final four points of the half on Murray's two free throws and Gordon's tip layup.
The loss was the 11th straight by the Lakers to Denver, dating back to last season, including a 114-103 loss in Game 1 Saturday at Denver when they had a 12-point second-quarter lead, and a 101-99 loss in Game 2 Monday in Denver where they had a 20-point third-quarter lead.
"Our focus is trying to get better from tonight, learn from our mistakes and try to get a win on Saturday," Davis said.