Lakers at Nuggets Game 4 Recap

Carmelo Anthony was throwing up into a garbage can 15 minutes before the game started. His line in the box score was equally sick, but not in the good way. He went 3-16 and scored only 15 points. Oh yeah, and the Nuggets won easily, 120-101. “Supporting cast” is the catch phrase of this year’s playoffs, and it couldn’t have been more appropriate this game. Everyone around ‘Melo stepped up while he was down: seven Nuggets scored in double figures, and Denver got 42 points from their bench.

Kobe was his usual self, scoring 34, but aside from Pau, he didn’t have any help. The Lakers got only 24 from their bench, and the majority of that came during garbage time, when the Nuggets already had the game in hand. A lot of Lakers fans will write this loss off as similar to the two games they dropped to Houston after Yao went down. In those games, the Lakers just didn’t play hard, didn’t compete. But that wasn’t the case last night; the Lakers tried, they tried to defend, they tried to run their offense, they just didn’t have it. Denver had all the energy, they got to every loose ball, made every hustle play.

Rebounding is an area where the Lakers should have a major advantage. The Nuggets don’t play a single seven footer, and the Lakers have two out there, often at the same time. Yet last night it was the Nuggets dominating the glass, 58-40. The Nuggets outscored the Lakers on second chance points behind a dominating 20-9 offensive glass performance. Frankly, the Lakers looked gassed. A lot of people are speculating that the seven game series with Houston is starting to take its toll. I wouldn’t count the Lakers out, but it’s definitely something to keep an eye on.

The Nuggets finally got a major contribution from J.R. Smith, a huge key to their victory. He had 24 points, 4 assists, 2 rebounds and 2 steals. He was all over the court and dropped a few gorgeous dimes. Seldom-used reserve Linas Kleiza was also huge, scoring 10 points in only 13 minutes.

The game was extremely physical (mostly initiated by the Nuggets) and there were a ton of foul calls, although I don’t think it was officiated poorly (unlike the Cavs-Magic Game 3). The only instance of real chippiness was when Dahntay Jones tripped Kobe driving to the bucket. After the game, Kobe deadpanned, “I just fell on my face for no reason, I’m a klutz.”

The line for Game 5 is already up at BetUS.com, with the Lakers a six point favorite (-260 moneyline) at home. The BetUS sportsbook is also offering series prices, with the Lakers at -210 and the Nuggets at +165.

Article by Sasha Tregebov from BetUS.