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CHICAGO – Lakers head coach Frank Vogel confessed to writing “dodged a bullet” inside the team locker as a reminder that there is more danger ahead even after his impressive Game 2 escape, courtesy of a triple by Anthony Davis.
Two days later, with the purple and gold glow of an NBA Finals square shining on the horizon, Vogel’s Lakers couldn’t survive the Jamal Murray blast.
Whenever we doubt these Nuggets, they always come back roaring with a vengeance, just like the late Fernando Poe Jr. in those iconic Panday movies.
Always beaten but never broken. Easy to kill but never dies.
Always, always, Murray. Denver 114. LA 106.
“We’re here. We’re in it for the long haul,” Nuggets head coach Mike Malone said. The Denver Post after a heartwarming victory that cut their Western conference finals series deficit to 1-2 before Game 4.
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After rushing to a 97-77 lead at the 10:36 mark in the fourth quarter, the Nuggets saw the Lakers go on a 22-7 run within four with just 2:16 left.
And that’s when Murray put on the cape.
He hit a 3-pointer to make the 6-band, helped Paul Millsap hit an undeniable dunk and then sank 29-foot-3 to close the deal.
Murray finished with 28 points, 12 assists and eight rebounds, while Nikola Jokic was equally brilliant at sniffing out another near triple-double with a 22-10-5 effort. Jerami Grant was 26 and Monte Morris pitched 14.
Stars like Murray and Jokic will always do amazing things like a star and rival teams can’t always control that. But desire and competitive spirit are things they can control, and the Lakers showed little of both in Game 3.
They were outscored 44-25 and outscored 11-4 on second-chance points. Those are statistical numbers that require effort to achieve, not necessarily talent.
LeBron James had 30 points, 10 rebounds, and 11 dimes, but somehow, the babble in the post-game guilt game points only to his six turnovers and the eight-foot ball he missed in the last 3. : 08 with LA down only 103-99.
Anthony Davis hit nine of 17 shots and finished with 27. But only the two rebounds he got seem to show up.
NONSENSE.
The Lakers lost Game 3 not because of the deficiencies of their superstars. They lost because, outside of Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Kyle Kuzma’s combined 23 points, the supporting cast was disappointed.
Alex Caruso did not show up with two points on shots of 1 of 7.
Dwight Howard committed more fouls (4) than shots from the field (2) and looked like the worn-out big man the Lakers dug out of the recycle bin of purchased and insolvent assets.
And Danny Green’s once distinguished rifle appears to be in its last dump magazine. He has made 39 of 108 shots in 13 playoff outings, including 1 of 4 in Game 3.
Rajon Rondo, meanwhile, is 34 and looks 40. He had flare on defense, but for the most part he was insecure and shaky on offense, and with four dumb turnovers, he had too much butter on his fingers.
By winning Game 3, the Nuggets outlined the plan for how to beat these mighty Lakers: Limit the damage LeBron and AD can deal.
When forced to step up, those Lakers reserves will most likely stumble.
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If this trend continues, the temporary insanity that was Game 3 could turn into a dire permanent reality.
Call me crazy. But so are the 2020 NBA playoffs in a bubble.
