Lakers News: How LeBron James Is Approaching Must-Win Game 4 Vs Nuggets

Game 3 was... tough sledding.

Apr 25, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (15) dribbles against Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23). / Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

Following their 112-105 Game 3 loss to two-time MVP center Nikola Jokic's Denver Nuggets on Thursday night, Los Angeles Lakers All-Star forward LeBron James appreciates that his club's back is against the wall. Trailing 0-3, LA is hoping to make history this spring, in becoming the first club, in 154 tries, to overcome such a deficit and actually win a playoff series in the NBA.

Per Mike Bresnahan of Spectrum News, James afterward diagnosed the issues most plaguing the Lakers during these three consecutive losses in the series, all of which Los Angeles led by double digits at some point.

“I feel like we spend so much energy in the first half, building leads or [showing] defensive intensity that we have, that we come out in the third quarter with not much energy,” James said. “Kind of lose attention to detail that we had in the first half.”

LA led by as much as 12 points in the first halves of both Games 1 and 3, and by a whopping 20 points in the third quarter of Game 2. It lost all three contests.

Last night, James scored 26 points on 12-of-20 shooting from the field (just 1-of-6 from deep) and 1-of-2 shooting from the foul line, while passing for nine assists, grabbing six rebounds, swiping two steals and blocking one shot in 42:09.

“As long as you still have life, then you always have belief. I just think you play until the wheels fall off,” James reflected. “That’s what it’s always about for me as a mindset and I know [Davis] feels the same way.”

Game 4 tips off at 5:30 p.m. PT on Saturday. Los Angeles will have to win out against the reigning champs to advance, having been roundly outplayed in pretty much every facet over the balance of every prior game in this series. The Lakers have now lost 11 straight contests to the Nuggets, including the regular season and playoffs.

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