LeBron focused while Lakers face elimination: 'One game at a time'
The Los Angeles Lakers are on the brink of playoff elimination, but star forward LeBron James still believes in his team.
"It's one game at a time at this point," James said after the team's deflating 112-105 defeat to the defending champion Denver Nuggets. "You lose, you go home. So we're going come in with the mindset of, 'Let's get one.' Force a Game 5 and then we go from there. So, as long as you still have life, then you always have belief. I just think you play until the wheels fall off."
James totaled 26 points, nine assists, and six rebounds Thursday, and Anthony Davis added 33 points and 15 rebounds, but the Lakers now face a 3-0 series deficit.
The Nuggets had four starters score at least 20 points. Aaron Gordon led the way with 29, while Nikola Jokic recorded 24 points, 15 rebounds, and nine assists.
"Me and this guy (Davis) have been playing together for six years," James said, according to ESPN's Dave McMenamin. "We've been to the mountaintop. We've been close to the mountaintop. We've played a lot of games. We know what it takes to win. We know what it takes to win a championship and how damn near perfect you got to be. That's not like something that's so crazy to obtain."
The Lakers dropped their 11th straight contest to the Nuggets, the fifth-longest active streak by any team in the league against one opponent.
L.A.'s third-quarter struggles continued as they were outscored 34-22. Lakers guard Austin Reaves said the team's ongoing performances through that quarter have been "atrocious."
The Nuggets can sweep the Lakers and advance to the second round with a victory Saturday.