Denver Nuggets Fall to Lakers 119-108 in Game 4 of NBA Playoffs

Five Takeaways from the Loss

Nuggets Trail 3-1 in Western Conference Semifinals

The Denver Nuggets suffered a 119-108 defeat to the Los Angeles Lakers in Game 4 of their Western Conference semifinal series on Friday night. The loss puts the Nuggets on the brink of elimination, as they now trail 3-1 in the best-of-seven series.

Here are five takeaways from the game:

1. The Lakers were too much for the Nuggets from the start. Los Angeles jumped out to a 19-4 lead in the first quarter and never looked back. The Nuggets were outscored by 15 points in the first half and trailed by 20 points at one point in the third quarter. 2. Nikola Jokic had a quiet night. The reigning MVP was held to just 16 points on 6-of-17 shooting. He also had nine rebounds and six assists, but he was not able to carry the Nuggets to victory. 3. The Lakers' defense was suffocating. Los Angeles held the Nuggets to just 39.8% shooting from the field and 28.6% from three-point range. The Lakers also forced 16 turnovers. 4. Anthony Davis was dominant. The Lakers' big man had a game-high 34 points, 11 rebounds, and five assists. He was a force on both ends of the court, and he made it difficult for the Nuggets to score inside. 5. The Nuggets need to find a way to turn things around quickly. They will host the Lakers in Game 5 on Sunday night, and they need to win in order to keep their season alive.