Nuggets Take 3-0 Lead on the Lakers
During Games One and Two, the Denver Nuggets trailed by double-digits but ultimately came back to win both games at home. Once again, during Game Three the Nuggets trailed by double-digits, and once again Denver came back for their 11th straight victory against the Los Angeles Lakers taking Game Three 112-105. This Lakers offense needs to find answers and quickly, they cannot afford to be swept in this first-round series. Los Angeles needs someone to step up and have a big performance in Game Four if they are to avoid being swept.
Los Angeles started off strong, taking a 10-point lead over Denver. The Nuggets showed they had some fight in them, outscoring the Lakers 26-20 to cut the deficit to just four points heading into the first-half break. Two minutes into the third quarter, the Nuggets would regain the lead. A few minutes later, Denver would go on an 8-0 run to extend their lead. The Lakers found themselves down by double-digits during the third but would be down eight points going into the final 12 minutes of action. Los Angeles dealt with a double-digit deficit for most of the fourth quarter. After an Austin Reaves three-pointer with four seconds left, the Lakers trailed by five points. With Aaron Gordan knocking down two free throws, the Lakers knew they let their hometown fans down with another disappointing loss. Both teams shot well from the floor, and horrible from beyond the arc. The key factor for the Nuggets during this Game Three win was their rebounding. Denver outrebounded Los Angeles 51-38, as they also grabbed 13 more rebounds than the Lakers did.
Aaron Gordan led the Nuggets with a new playoff-high of 29 points to go along with his 15 rebounds, three assists, and a steal. Nikola Jokic was an assist shy of a triple-double finishing with 24 points, 10 rebounds, nine assists, and a steal. Jamal Murray had 22 while Michael Porter Jr. scored 20 points in the win. Anthony Davis led the Lakers with 33 points in addition to recording 15 rebounds, three assists, and a steal. LeBron James finished with 26 points, six rebounds, nine assists, two steals, and a block in the loss.
