Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images
The Los Angeles Lakers have held double-digit leads in each of their three first-round playoff games against the Denver Nuggets, but all of them have ended in losses.
The latest heartbreak happened on Thursday, when Denver defeated the host Lakers 112-105 in Game 3, putting LA on the brink of elimination.
LA led by 12 in Game 1 before losing 114-103. LA led by 20 in Game 2 before losing 101-99. And then LA led by 12 in Game 3 before falling once again. Denver notably outscored LA 60-42 over the second and third quarters and held on from there.
The Lakers lost mostly because they couldn’t get much (or any) positive production outside of Anthony Davis (33 points, 15 rebounds), LeBron James (26 points, nine assists) and Austin Reaves (22 points, four steals).
Los Angeles made just 5-of-27 threes. D’Angelo Russell, who averaged 18.0 points during the regular season, went scoreless and missed all seven of his shots. All Lakers outside Davis, James and Reaves combined for 24 points on 10-of-30 shooting.
With the win, Denver has beaten the Lakers 11 straight times (including playoffs). That stretch includes Denver’s four-game sweep of the Lakers in last year’s Western Conference finals.
Afterwards, fans and analysts alike trolled the Lakers, who seemed all but certain to head home at short notice.
vic @CountOnVic
It’s been real, Lakers Nation. All season was a mental shitshow. I’m not watching game 4. Be well. pic.twitter.com/5LCH884WYN
Harrison Wind @HarrisonWind
It turns out the Lakers are not a typical 7-seed. Typically, the 7-seed is better.
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