The Los Angeles Lakers lost their first home game of the postseason 119-108 and fell to an all-time low 0-3 to the Denver Nuggets in the Western Conference Finals. The Lakers are now in a must-win situation and have to win four of the remaining four games to keep their title hopes alive. They will look to bounce back in Game 4 on Monday and avoid elimination in the NBA Western Conference Finals. There has never been an NBA playoff team that overcame a 0-3 deficit to advance.
[cta id=445 type=cta]
Lakers Game 4 Point Spread and More
Lakers X-Factor
This Conference Finals becomes the 150th series where a team trails 0-3 after the first three games. However, the series is the first to four, not the first to three. The Lakers have arguably beaten themselves in every game in this series. Head Coach Darvin Ham has some difficult decisions to make. Do you bench D’Angelo Russell or let him figure it out in game four?
Russell averaged 7.0 points, 4.0 assists, and 2.0 rebounds in three games against the Nuggets in the 2023 NBA playoffs. He has yet to find his rhythm on offense and is a liability on defense. He has the ability to provide the team with the presence they need in the paint and on the defensive end.
Game 4 Point Spread
The Lakers are favored by 53.2 percent to win game four, according to ESPN analytics. 20-year NBA veteran LeBron James has played in 53 NBA Playoff series. Only four times has one of his teams faced a 3-0 series deficit. James is no stranger to comeback victories. He heroically led the Cavaliers to a championship in 2016 after being down 3-1 to the Golden State Warriors. He will need to draw on that experience if the Lakers are going to have a shot at winning this series.
James, on being down 0-3 against the Denver Nuggets:
“Just gotta get one,” James said after Game 3. “One at a time. So focus on Game 4. That’s all you can really think about. I mean, obviously, this game is over and done with. We had some opportunities, but we didn’t come through. Just get ready for Monday. Just gotta get one. One-game series for us. Every game counts, obviously.”
King James and the Lakers will attempt to accomplish something 150 other teams have failed to do. They will try to recover from a 3-0 deficit in the NBA Western Conference Finals.
Take a look at the game’s four-point spread. Vegas oddsmakers give Los Angeles a good chance of winning game four. Ultimately I have the Lakers forcing a game five back in Denver as well. For player props, I’ll look for Mo Bamba (over 18.5 points, rebounds, and assists).
- Lakers vs. Nuggets spread: Lakers -3.5
-
Lakers vs. Nuggets over/under: 244 points
-
Lakers vs. Nuggets money line: Lakers -155, Nuggets +130
-
DEN – The Nuggets are 22-25 against the spread in road games
-
LAL – The Lakers are 27-22 against the spread in home games
Los Angeles will need to play with some type of sense of urgency if they want to avoid being swept.
