FSM Essential Playoff Recap: Lakers vs Nuggets - Western Conference Finals - Game 4

The Lakers finished the first half of this game with a 60-55 lead.  

A surprising change occurred before the game even started. The Lakers decided to start Dwight Howard over JaVale McGee. Typically, McGee starts, but Howard plays more minutes. Lakers’ head coach Frank Vogel said he had him come off the bench because of foul trouble. He didn’t mention the exact reason Howard started, but it’s easy to assume it was to keep up with the Nugget’s early offense. Howard scores more than McGee and plays with more aggression.

The first quarter started off with back and forth scoring. The Nuggets utilized more team basketball, but most of their points came from Jamal Murray and Jerami Grant early on. As for the Lakers, Anthony Davis scored their first 10 points. Another Lakers player did not score a point until Dwight Howard scored off a putback from an offensive rebound. Davis finished the first quarter going 6 for six from the floor with 14 points. 

The second quarter was just as fast-paced as the first. There was only a total of 7 shooting fouls committed in the half, so the fast pace action did not stop often.

Every time the Nuggets tried to lower the Lakers’ lead significantly, the Lakers fired back. Starting Howard proved to be an excellent decision for the Lakers. He finished the half with 11 points and ten rebounds. Six of his rebounds were offensive rebounds, so he played aggressively on both ends of the court. 

LeBron James heated up in the second quarter and scored 14 points, shooting 5 for 11 from the floor with five assists. The player of the half had to be Davis, though. Even though he slowed down a bit in the second quarter, he still scored 19 points while shooting 70 percent from the floor. 

The Nuggets were not close until the end of the first half. The Lakers missed 10 of their last 12 shots. The Nuggets severely outshot the Lakers efficiency-wise, making it surprising that they still had a lead after the half. The Lakers shot 46.9 percent from the floor and 29.4 percent from three. The Nuggets shot 59 percent from the floor and 31.2 percent from three.

The difference-maker was that the Lakers had 18 second-chance points while the Nuggets had 2. Starting Dwight Howard was largely responsible for those second-chance points. The Nuggets utilized more team basketball, but most of their points came from Jamal Murray in Jerami Grant early on. As for the Lakers, Anthony Davis scored their first 10 points. Another Lakers’ player did not score a point until Dwight Howard scored off a putback from an offensive rebound. Davis finished the first quarter going 6 for six from the floor with 14 points.