May 7, 2012 – Staples Center, Los Angeles
With OKC resting and waiting on their next opponent, the Los Angeles Lakers failed to take care of business and allowed the Denver Nuggets to survive another day, losing 102-99. Led by a barrage of 3-pointers by Kobe Bryant (43 points, 5 assists, 6 rebounds, 2 steals), the Lakers almost overcame a 15-point 4th quarter deficit. But LA shot miserably the entire game (35-90 for 38.9%), and trailed entering the final period 76-65. As Denver’s lead ballooned to 90-75, nervous Laker fans began thinking the unthinkable – a Game 6 back in Denver.
Despite 43-points from Kobe Bryant, the Los Angeles Lakers fell to the Denver Nuggets 102-99 forcing a Game 6 back in Denver. Copyrights may apply. All rights reserved.
Andrew Bynum (16 points, 11 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 block) couldn’t quite back up his words when he claimed that close-out games could be easy. Instead, his quote became bulletin board material that helped Denver control the pace and tempo of the game. Matt Barnes’ (11 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals) fast-break bucket tied the score 29-29 in the 2nd quarter, but Denver got back-to-back 3-pointers from Andre Miller (24 points, 8 assists, 2 rebounds, 1 steal) and Arron Afflalo (19 points, 5 rebounds, 1 assist, 3 steals) to retake control of the contest. LA would find themselves right on the verge of taking over, but sloppy play and turnovers allowed the Nuggets to maintain their advantage. JaVale McGee (21 points, 14 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 blocks) and Kenneth Faried (10 points, 9 rebounds, 1 steal) helped propel Denver to a 47-37 lead, but Kobe closed out the half with 8-straight points to get LA back to within 49-43 at halftime.
Kobe and Ramon Sessions (9 points, 6 rebounds, 6 assists) got the Lakers started on the right track in the 3rd but Danilo Gallinari (14 points, 5 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 block) and Ty Lawson (9 points, 8 assists, 2 rebounds, 2 steals) pushed Denver out to a 59-47 lead forcing an early Mike Brown time-out. Denver was running at every opportunity and their blistering pace was creating unfavorable Laker mismatches. The Lakers finally started playing with some fire and subsequently, began to get some stops on defense. Better ball movement and stronger post play allowed them to start chipping into the double-digit lead. Kobe’s 3-pointer drew them to within 63-66 with 3:05 remaining but three consecutive Nugget baskets pushed LA back down by nine. LA ended the 3rd quarter trailing by 11-points and headed to the bench under a chorus of boos.
The Nuggets wasted little time and tried to deliver the knock-out punch to start the 4th. Denver effectively double-teamed the Laker bigs and forced them to try to beat them from outside. And as their outside shots continued to clank off the mark, McGee made them pay by getting free from Bynum for spectacular lob dunks. His hustle and extra-effort often caught both Bynum and Pau Gasol (9 points, 10 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, 3 blocks) flat-footed with palms facing up in disbelief. With Denver squarely in the driver’s seat, LA finally made their furious rally behind the long-ball accuracy of Kobe. His first 3-pointer of the period narrowed the lead to 10-points. Bynum and Gasol scored drawing the Lakers to within 94-87 with just over 3-minutes to play.
Kobe’s second 3-bomb made it 94-90 and suddenly the Nuggets began looking unsure of themselves. But the veteran Miller bumped off Steve Blake (8 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 steal) on a dribble-drive for an easy layup pushing the lead back up to six. Kobe’s third long ball of the period made it a 3-point affair but again Miller scored with 1:12 remaining, this time on a running bank shot. The heat-check 3-ball from the corner by Kobe with Gallinari draped all over him made it 98-96 and then the Lakers got the defensive stop they needed. With the ball back in the Black Mamba’s hands, Kobe’s bank shot high off the glass narrowly missed and Al Harrington (3 points, 5 rebounds, 1 block) was fouled on the rebound. Harrington converted only 1-2 free throws and Kobe’s subsequent 3- attempt missed by an inch too long allowing Denver to breathe a huge sigh of relief. Forced to foul, Lawson converted 1-2 and the Lakers used their last time-out to set-up a play.
With 0:14 second left, Blake lifted up for a 3-pointer from the top-of-the-key but instead dished to a wide open Sessions who drained the 26-footer. Down 100-99, LA committed the intentional foul again but Miller calmly drained both free throws for the final margin of victory. Kobe’s 3-pointer under severe duress was again an inch too long, and Sessions’ potential game tying 3-pointer from the opposite side with the clock expiring fell an inch short. Instead of preparing for the Oklahoma City Thunder, the Lakers travel back to Denver for Game 6 on Thursday. Denver out-scored the Lakers 58-44 on points-in-the-paint while totally outplaying the reserves 50-19. The Lakers started the game in neutral and never got out of second gear until it was far too late. They’ll need to perform at a much higher rate if they intend to move on to the Second Round. On a brighter note, Metta World Peace will be available to play after serving his 7-game suspension following Thursday’s contest. But it remains to be seen if it will be Game 1 against OKC, or in a decisive Game 7 against these gritty Nuggets.
May 6, 2012 – Pepsi Center, Denver
Game 4 was the make-or-break game as far as Denver and Los Angeles fans were concerned. And the purple and gold clad Lakers did not disappoint, beating the hometown Nuggets 92-88 for a 3-1 stranglehold in the best-of-seven First Round series. Back-to-back 3-pointers by Ramon Sessions (12 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal) and Steve Blake (10 points, 3 assists, 2 rebounds, 1 block) proved to be the difference that sent Denver down to defeat. With the score knotted at 86-86, Kobe was situated far out on the perimeter and found Gasol crossing across the lane. The Spaniard quickly kicked the ball out to a wide-open Sessions in the corner and LA’s newest point guard calmly drained the 3-ball for an 89-86 lead with just 0:48 seconds remaining on the clock.
It was a great show, but the Denver Nuggets came up on the short end, losing to the Lakers 92-88. Copyright NBAE. Photo by Garrett W. Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images
On Denver’s following possession, Javale McGee (8 points, 4 rebounds, 2 steals, 4 blocks) got loose under the goal for a gimme but Andre Miller tipped the ball while it was still in the cylinder, negating the basket. The Lakers then held on to the ball while allowing the game clock to whittle down. Kobe drove the lane and immediately drew the double-team. He then found a wide-open Blake in the opposite corner for the dagger trey and the split in Denver was secured. The teams return to Staples Center for Game 5 where the Lakers look to close out the series on Tuesday evening.
After an even first half that saw Denver take a 51-45 halftime lead, the Lakers intensified their defensive presence in the second half and put a halt to the Nuggets penetration drives. Sprear-heading their success on defense was the Laker bench. Jordan Hill (12 points, 11 rebounds, 1 steal in 23-minutes) provided enough energy and tireless effort on the offensive boards to give both Gasol (13 points, 9 rebounds, 6 assists, 1 block) and Andrew Bynum (19 points, 7 rebounds, 1 assist, 3 blocks) ample time to rest. Ty Lawson (11 points on 5-13, 6 assists, 1 steal) was a non-factor as an active Laker defense limited his forays into the lane. It was a quick and aggressive jump-out by the Laker bigs that helped prevent Lawson from exploiting them like he did in Game 3.
With Lawson struggling, George Karl went to Andre Miller (15 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 steals) and the veteran took advantage of his smaller defenders. Miller went 5-5 in the first quarter alone, posting up and scoring in the paint as he bulled his way to the basket. After sustaining Denver’s initial rush out of the gates, the Lakers settled down and began feeding their bigs. Kobe (22 points on 10-25, 8 rebounds, 6 assists, 1 steal) was effective early, finding his way through traffic and getting much closer looks than in the previous game. But Kobe appeared to fatigue as the game wore on, losing the ball on several occasions which allowed Denver to get out and run.
Coach Mike Brown was forced to rest his starters and this time his bench didn’t let him down. Instead, they kept pace with the Nuggets, and never allowed the home team to gather too much steam. Danilo Gallinari (20 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal) finally found his shot and was the lone Nugget that had his way on offense. The Lakers effectively shut down Kenneth Faried (6 points on 3-8, 7 rebounds, 1 assist, 3 blocks) and also prevented McGee from affecting the outcome of the game. Credit Bynum for attacking the high-flyer with physical, pounding play under the basket.
The game produced 16 ties and 18 lead changes. But unlike other Laker victories when one of its Big-3 would seal the win, it was two support players and one newbie that made all of the big plays down the stretch. Hill continues to gobble up minutes providing the Lakers with a legitimate big man off the bench. His nose for rebounds (7 offensive) allowed the Lakers to win the battle of the boards, 48-38. After shooting 51.1% in the first half, Denver was held to 45.3% for the game, scoring only 37-points in the second half. Al Harrington (9 points, 6 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 steals) played the game wearing a protective mask after suffering a broken nose from an unintentional elbow in Game 3. With #1 seed OKC already waiting on their next opponent, the Lakers will attempt to end this series on Tuesday and move on to their biggest challenge to date in the post-season.
May 4, 2012 – Pepsi Center, Denver
In the midst of a pivotal Game 3, the hope of one city skyrocketed while the other plummeted back to reality as the Los Angeles Lakers fell to the Denver Nuggets 99-84 in another typical road loss. LA still leads the best-of-seven First Round series, 2-1 with Game 4 slated for Sunday. Denver came out as the more energized and frenetic team to open the game. And they wasted little time in showing that the series will be more of a fight than what they’ve been able to show thus far. With the score tied at a dozen each, the Nuggets tore off a series-changing 28-2 run spanning the first and second quarters good enough for a 38-14 lead from which the Lakers never recovered. Ty Lawson (25 points, 7 assists, 4 rebounds, 2 steals) led the way, penetrating at will while scoring around, above and through Laker defenders.
Even the Nugget dancers were hotter than the Lakers on the court. Copyrights may apply. All rights reserved.
The Lakers could only stand and watch as Denver attempted to deliver the knock-out punch early. Ball movement was minimal, post-play was non-existent and shot selection was abysmal. Instead of going with their strengths, the Lakers resorted to jacking up outside shots which provided Denver with the opportunity it sorely missed in its first two contests. The Nuggets were finally able to get out and run. And when they weren’t converting easy layups, they were getting put-backs on the offensive glass. Kenneth Faried (12 points, 15 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal) and JaVale McGee (16 points, 15 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals, 4 blocks) provided an ample lift on the backboards as Denver out-rebounded they bigger counterparts, 54-44. They also crushed the Lakers 52-32 on points-in-the-paint, a telling sign of how thoroughly Denver controlled the game.
Kobe Bryant (22 points on 7-23, 6 rebounds, 6 assists) was hedged further and further out on the perimeter. And when his shot failed to fall, the Black Mamba grew more and more frustrated by the lack of foul calls. The referees allowed the uber-aggressive Nuggets to stake their claim on the physical play while the Lakers never responded. Instead, they took their fight to the officials while allowing the Nuggets to run them off the floor and in the process, get back into the series. Andrew Bynum (18 points, 12 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 blocks) scored all of his points in the second half after a 0-fer in the first 24-minutes. Bynum appeared physically affected by the mile-high thin air and found himself beaten down the court multiple times.
His running mate, Pau Gasol (16 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists, 4 blocks) fared no better, and was repeatedly at a loss against the quickness of Faried and the energy of McGee. In another telling sign of how the game went, the Lakers bench was outscored 39-9. LA did manage a commendable comeback in the 3rd quarter, whittling down Denver’s sizable lead all the way down to 68-64. But it didn’t matter tonight as the Nuggets simply stepped on the gas and left the Lakers in their dust. Andre Miller (13 points, 6 assists, 5 rebounds) made sure of that, scoring all of his points and inflicting all of his damage after halftime. And even though Danilo Gallinari (13 points on 3-11, 6 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal) continued to struggle from the field, he was able to drive unimpeded to the basket while drawing the foul.
Ramon Sessions (15 points, 9 rebounds, 6 assists) remains a work-in-progress, gaining valuable “nuggets” of experience while still trying to contain the explosive Lawson. With his confidence growing, his forays into open seams become more and more explosive. But it is on the defensive side of things that Sessions needs to improve. He’ll have to do a better job of keeping Lawson in front of him and out of the lane. This assignment also falls on the shoulders of the Laker bigs. They need to do a better job of “showing” at the top of the key. Lawson has simply been daring them to come out, and when they don’t, he has able to penetrate with ease. Unlike Game 1 and parts of Game 2, where Bynum aggressively forced him to stop his forward progress, the Lakers have failed to commit on the help defense or stop him at the rim.
Through it all, the bad decisions, the poor shooting and the waltz-like defensive effort, the Lakers still had a chance to win. A little more effort, a couple of calls and who knows, this might be Denver facing an 0-3 hole. But it was not to be and although I’m equally frustrated by their unenthusiastic showing, I’m not the least bit stunned or surprised. This has been the Lakers MO since day 1 of the season. Why should they change now? Their focus and attention may be keener and sharper at this time of the year, but their execution and effort failed them. If, or more likely, when they take Game 4 on the road, all of their shortcomings will be quickly forgotten. I get the distinct impression that the Lakers feel that they can score and execute anytime they want against this team. In Game 3 they got a little sloppy and it bit them in the ass. Eliminate the poor shot selection and return to grinding the Nuggets into even smaller kernels and this series becomes toast.
