The Denver Nuggets weren’t about to lay down the red carpet for LeBron James to take another trip to the NBA Finals. Since no team in NBA history has rallied after being down 3-0, Game 3 amounted to a must-win for the Nuggets. And that’s what they did, 114-106, to make this a series. Of course it’s always a series when Denver is involved since the Nuggets have already comeback from 3-1 deficits against Utah and the Clippers. To do that again they’d have to lose on Thursday, which is something I’m sure they don’t want to happen. Instead the Nuggets can level the Western Conference finals with a win in Game 4.
Game 4 of the Western Conference finals will air live on TNT at 9 p.m. ET on Thursday, September 24, 2020, from the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. BookMaker.eu will have betting options for every NBA playoff game.
NBA Odds at BookMaker.eu
Los Angeles Lakers -6.5
Denver Nuggets +6.5
Over/Under 215
Odds Analysis
Wild comebacks, dramatic shots, it’s been a helluva series so far. And if you think you have it figured out ... you don’t. The Nuggets are thinking they should be up 2-1 after stopping a four-game skid against the top-seed Lakers in Game 3 as a 6.5-point dog. That Anthony Davis dagger three in Game 2 will bother them for a while. Considering the neutral site, no fans and sterile environment of the bubble, the lines aren’t going to shift too much unless there’s a major injury. So, Game 4 has the Lakers laying 6.5-points – again – with the total hovering around 215. Going back to the final regular season meeting between the clubs the Nuggets are 3-1 ATS
Los Angeles Lakers
It was the Lakers turn in Game 3 to play catch up, and they nearly did in a drastic shift from the first two meetings. Trailing by 20 with 10½ minutes left in the fourth the Lakers needed a furious rally. In about eight minutes the deficit was down to four, but the Lakers ran out of steam allowing Denver to pull away at the end, putting a stop to LA’s six-game winning streak.
We’ve seen this before from the Lakers this postseason, just not that much, so it’s nothing for them to get alarmed about. They shot horribly in the first game of the Portland series falling 100-93, but stormed back to win the next four. They also crapped out against the Rockets in Game 1 of that series, 112-97. The common theme in three playoff losses is offense, or lack of it. Three of their lowest scoring games of the playoffs all came in defeat.
Maybe the Lakers can carryover their fourth quarter performance into the next game. They outscored Denver by 10 and capitalized on numerous turnovers thanks to their zone defense. “We played some pretty good ball in the fourth quarter, but those first 36 minutes, that hurt us obviously,” said James, who had 30 points, 11 assists and 10 rebounds for his 26th postseason triple-double. Anthony Davis scored 27 points but had just two rebounds with the Lakers losing the battle on the glass 45-25.
Denver Nuggets
Using a different strategy the Nuggets crept back into the series with their Game 3 win. Instead of falling behind by 15 or more points like they did in the first two games and having to play catch-up, the Nuggets played with a lead. Denver needed guys other than Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray to step up. Michael Porter Jr. and Monte Morris rose to the occasion. Oh, the two studs also did their part and for the first time in six playoff games the Nuggets led at halftime.
It’s a simple strategy that doesn’t always work since the other team is trying to beat you. It does make the game easier though, even if you have to sweat out the final minutes. And though they still trail in the series, the Nuggets are a confident club. “We feel we should be up 2-1 right now, to be honest,” Murray said.
Finally getting balanced production the Nuggets showed how dangerous they can be. Murray led the way with 28 points and 12 rebounds and Jokic added 22 points and 12 boards. But it was Jerami Grant with a playoff career-high 26 points, Morris scoring 14 points in 20 minutes and Porter hitting 4 of 6 shots for nine points that proved to be the difference. “Everybody always has us packing our bags and leaving, but we’re not ready to go,” Michael Malone said. They have at least two more games inside the bubble.
Lakers vs. Nuggets Prediction
Maybe the Lakers let out a big sigh after AD’s Game 2 buzzer-beater. Or maybe it was the one clunker in the series. They’re in it now and if LeBron stops his social justice crusade for a while the Lakers can get back in the driver’s seat. The Lakers snapped back from their first two playoff losses winning both games by an average of 15.5 points and covering the line. I have a feeling they do it again.
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