The Los Angeles Lakers’ playoff woes continued on Thursday as they squandered yet another double-digit lead to the Denver Nuggets, falling 112-105 in Game 3 and now facing the brink of elimination in the first round.
In a frustrating pattern for the Lakers, they held significant leads in all three games of the series but were unable to secure a victory in any of them. L.A. led by 12 in Game 1, 20 in Game 2, and another 12 in Game 3 before succumbing to Denver’s comeback efforts.
Despite standout performances from Anthony Davis (33 points, 15 rebounds), LeBron James (26 points, nine assists), and Austin Reaves (22 points, four steals), the Lakers’ supporting cast struggled to contribute positively. The team’s three-point shooting was particularly dismal, converting just 5-of-27 attempts from beyond the arc.
Offensive struggles were compounded by the absence of scoring from key players like D’Angelo Russell, who failed to register a point and missed all seven of his shots.
Denver’s victory extends their winning streak over the Lakers to 11 games, dating back to last year’s Western Conference finals sweep.
With the series now at 3-0 in favor of Denver, the Lakers are on the verge of a premature postseason exit. Game 4, scheduled for Saturday at 8:30 p.m. ET in Los Angeles, will determine whether the Lakers can extend their season or face an early end at the hands of the Nuggets.
