It’s a easy and apparent reality about any basketball sport: The crew that shoots higher often wins.

The Denver Nuggets shot 50.6% in Sport Four of the Western Convention Finals, together with 10-of-28 from three (resulting in a real capturing proportion of 62%). The Lakers shot 47.5% general and 10-of-30 from three (a real capturing proportion of 59.7%). The Nuggets shot higher Thursday night time.

Nonetheless, the higher capturing crew doesn’t win when it will get crushed in one other key space.

The Lakers grabbed the offensive rebound on 40.4% of their missed photographs — together with at three crucial possessions in crunch time — and scored 25 second-chance factors to Denver having six. Mix that with an aggressive and attacking LeBron James and Anthony Davis attending to the free-throw line 28 occasions — Denver as a crew had 23 free throw makes an attempt — and LeBron taking part in improbable protection down the stretch on Jamal Murray, and a crew can overcome a capturing deficit.

The end result was the Lakers holding off a resilient Denver crew to win 114-108, taking a commanding 3-1 collection lead. Sport 5 is Saturday night time.

Whereas the Nuggets got here again from 3-1 down on the Jazz and Clippers, this collection feels completely different — Denver could have run out of miracles. The best way the Lakers closed out this sport confirmed why the Lakers won’t go the methods of Jazz and Clippers.

As soon as once more, Davis was the very best Laker on the ground, scoring 34 factors on 10-of-15 capturing plus taking part in sturdy protection (his gentle rebounding numbers, 5 on this sport, are overblown as a result of the Lakers as a crew are rebounding properly).

However there are two key causes the gained the Lakers the sport — two crucial causes they have been in a position to maintain off a Denver comeback when the Jazz and Clippers faltered in comparable conditions:

• The Lakers have been dominant on the offensive glass, as talked about above. They acquired a second likelihood on 4 out of 10 missed photographs (the league common is about 26-27% of missed photographs change into offensive rebounds). Dwight Howard was doing it early, Davis was doing it late (plus Rajon Rondo had a crucial one), however the Lakers getting a second likelihood to attain and run off some clock down the stretch modified the sport.

• LeBron James requested to protect Jamal Murray down the stretch — within the closing 5 minutes of the sport Murray was 0-of-Three capturing.

“LeBron requested for the project and clearly I granted it…” Lakers’ coach Frank Vogel mentioned postgame. “Nothing was actually working by way of attempting to gradual him down till ‘Bron took that project.”

Vogel isn’t kidding. Murray was torching the Lakers, moving into the lane, and discovering a technique to end — together with possibly the very best layup of the playoffs to this point.

Murray completed with 32 factors on 12-of-20 capturing, however LeBron held him largely in examine down the stretch (Murray did hit 4 free throws).

LeBron additionally had a powerful sport regardless of his jumper not falling as a result of he hunted mismatches, throwing the Denver protection right into a scramble, plus LeBron instructions a double crew when he will get the ball on the elbow or on the block and that opens issues up.

One other key for Los Angeles was an ideal first half from Dwight Howard, who had 11 factors and 10 rebounds within the first half whereas holding the ball out of Jokic’s fingers. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope had 13 factors.

Davis rolled his ankle within the fourth quarter, limped round on it, stayed within the sport and made some performs down the stretch. A slowed Davis can be a purpose for concern for the Lakers.

“My ankle feels fantastic,” Davis mentioned postgame. “I’ve acquired tonight, tomorrow, earlier than the sport to get it again to the place it’s, but it surely’s ok to play. I rolled it fairly unhealthy, however not too unhealthy. I’ll be fantastic.”

If Denver goes to shock the world, it must preserve Paul Millsap and his protection on the ground extra, then the Nuggets want Gary Harris and different bench gamers to step up with large moments.

The Nuggets additionally have to discover a technique to gradual LeBron and Davis. There might not be a solution to that query.

Second likelihood factors, clutch LeBron protection earns Lakers win to go up 3-1 on Denver initially appeared on NBCSports.com