LeBron James, Lakers need to set an UNBELIEVABLE playoff record to rally past Nuggets 

How the Lakers can make history and avoid elimination against the Nuggets

LeBron James, Lakers need to set an UNBELIEVABLE playoff record to rally past Nuggets 

LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers (Image via X/Twitter)

The Los Angeles Lakers are one loss away from ending their season in disappointment. The Denver Nuggets stunned the Lakers with a 119-108 victory in Game 3 of the Western Conference finals on Saturday night, taking a commanding 3-0 series lead and putting the Lakers in a hole that no team has ever climbed out of in NBA history. Teams with a 3-0 lead are 149-0 in playoff series in NBA history.

The Nuggets were led by Jamal Murray, who scored 37 points and dished out six assists, and Nikola Jokic, who added 24 points and 8 assists. The Nuggets shot 50% from the field and 41.5% from the three-point range, while holding the Lakers to 45.2% and 31.3%, respectively.

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The Lakers were paced by Anthony Davis, who had 28 points and 18 rebounds, and LeBron James, who had 23 points and 12 assists, along with Austin Reaves, who also had 23 points. But they got little help from their supporting cast, especially D’Angelo Russell, who scored only three points on 1-of-8 shooting and had just 3 points in the 20 or so minutes he played.

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The Lakers trailed by 12 points at the end first half, but they fought back to cut the deficit to four points early in the fourth quarter. However, the Nuggets responded with a flurry of threes by Murray, Bruce Brown, and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, and never looked back.

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Lakers facing daunting task of winning four straight to stay alive

LeBron James and Lakers take Game 1 of NBA Finals. 1
LeBron James and Anthony Davis of the Los Angeles Lakers (Via Getty Images)

The Nuggets have shown remarkable resilience throughout these playoffs, winning Round 1 against Minnesota Timberwolves and Round 2 against the Phoenix Suns. They have also shown remarkable confidence against the Lakers, who, like always, have been the favorites to win it all since the start of the season.

The Lakers have struggled to contain Murray and Jokic, who have been playing at an MVP level. They have also struggled to find their rhythm on offense, relying too much on James and Davis.

The Lakers now face the daunting task of winning four straight games to keep their championship hopes alive. They need to find their identity and intensity on both ends of the floor. They need to tap into their championship pedigree and experience.

But most of all, they need LeBron James to be LeBron James. The four-time MVP and three-time champion has been in this situation before when he led the Cleveland Cavaliers back from a 3-1 deficit against the Golden State Warriors in the 2016 Finals. Can he do it again? We’ll find out again on Monday at Crypto.com Arena.

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