In Game 3 of the Western Conference Finals, the Denver Nuggets did what they do best.
They bounced back.
Following a heartbreaking Game 2 loss at the buzzer, Denver came out of the gates fast in Tuesday’s Game 3 and took control of the contest early. Eventually, that control grew into a comfortable double-digit lead throughout the second half, although the Los Angeles Lakers made the Nuggets sweat it out down the stretch with a furious fourth-quarter comeback.
READ MORE: Game 3 Takeaways
In the end, Jamal Murray’s clutch play helped the Nuggets close out the 114-106 victory. The win was fueled by impressive performances throughout Denver’s rotation, including a playoff career-high 26 points from Jerami Grant. Grant’s two-way play coupled with steady showings from Denver’s second unit (highlighted by Monte Morris’ 14 points) provided enough support for Denver’s leading duo of Murray and Nikola Jokić.
Although LeBron James and Anthony Davis combined for 57 points for the Lakers, Los Angeles struggled to truly get into the game until the fourth quarter. The Lakers were ice cold from beyond the arc, struggled to take care of the ball and were thoroughly dominated on the boards.
The Nuggets now look to build on this momentum and even up the series in Game 4 on Thursday.
Here are the key storylines to watch for in that contest.
Control the boards
One of the most impressive aspects of Denver’s Game 3 victory was the complete control the Nuggets had on the glass.
Denver outrebounded Los Angeles 53-34 on Tuesday, including a significant 9-4 advantage on the offensive glass. It was a well-rounded effort on the boards for the Nuggets, as five players grabbed at least six rebounds in the win.
The even more striking development in Game 3 was the inability of the Lakers’ big men to make their presence felt on the boards. Davis, JaVale McGee, Dwight Howard and Markieff Morris combined for just four rebounds in the loss.
When the Nuggets can post a 30.3 offensive rebound percentage, it will help cover up other lapses or mistakes in their execution (which we’ll get to). For a Lakers team that tends to have two big men on the floor together most of the time, if Denver can win the battle on the boards on Thursday, they will give themselves a great chance to even the series, especially if they can clean up other parts of their game.
Value each possession
Yes, the Nuggets won Game 3 and were firmly in control for most of the 48 minutes of action.
However, no one would mistake that to think that Denver played a completely clean game on Tuesday. Most notably, the Nuggets continue to struggle with taking care of the ball.
A 20.6 turnover percentage fueled a large portion of the Lakers offense, especially in the fourth quarter when they made their final comeback attempt. The Nuggets committed eight of their 20 turnovers in that final frame, with five of those coming directly as a result of steals from the Lakers (Rajon Rondo was particularly active defensively during this stretch).
Ultimately, Los Angeles cashed in on Denver’s mistakes, scoring 23 points off of those 20 turnovers. Once again, the Lakers looked to get out in transition to fuel their offense, which they did to the tune of 21 fast break points in Game 3, compared to just 10 for Denver.
What makes valuing each possession even more important against the Lakers is their struggles in the half court. Los Angeles posted a 92.8 offensive rating in the half court Tuesday, which ranks in the 34th percentile, according to Cleaning the Glass. The Nuggets knew heading into this series that they needed to limit the Lakers’ transition opportunities, realizing that forcing Los Angeles to consistently play in the half court would be the main way to limit the offense.
That starts with taking care of the ball, which will have to improve moving forward.
Continue to attack the basket
One of the major stories in Game 3 was Jerami Grant’s breakout game on the offensive end. While the 26-year-old has been stellar defensively throughout the playoffs, his offensive game has come-and-gone throughout Denver’s improbable postseason run.
That all changed Tuesday night.
Grant was aggressive in attacking the basket and finished at an elite 83.3 percent clip inside the arc. Those consistent drives to the rim also resulted in plenty of trips to the charity stripe, where Grant converted 10-of-12 attempts. Oh, and 40 percent 3-point shooting never hurts either.
The theme through the first two games of this Western Conference Finals was the lack of elite supporting play from the non-Murray or Jokić Nuggets. With Grant coming alive and Morris chipping in off the bench, Denver had enough of a balanced attack to keep the Lakers guessing on defense and secure the crucial Game 3 win.
The question now becomes whether or not the Nuggets’ support players can keep up this level of play. Considering how much attention will always be on Jokić and Murray, there will certainly be opportunities for others to step up on the offensive end.
Game 4 will tip at 7 p.m. MT and will air on TNT (Radio: KKSE 92.5FM).