LeBron scores 30, and the Lakers avoid 1st-round elimination with a 119-108 win over champion Denver

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Los Angeles Lakers finally cracked the Denver Nuggets' mastery of this rivalry and extended their playoff lives for at least another game.

To absolutely nobody's surprise, LeBron James led the way.

James scored 30 points, Anthony Davis added 25 points and 23 rebounds, and the Lakers avoided postseason elimination with a 119-108 victory over Denver in Game 4 of their first-round series Saturday night.

D'Angelo Russell and Austin Reaves scored 21 points apiece for the seventh-seeded Lakers, who snapped their 11-game losing streak against the defending NBA champions with their first win over the Nuggets since December 2022.

A series with clear patterns and rhythms finally changed in the Lakers' favor. For the fourth straight game, Los Angeles took a double-digit lead before the Nuggets rallied in the second half behind Nikola Jokic.

But for the first time in this series, the Lakers didn't wilt under the defending champions' pressure. The 39-year-old James scored 14 points in the fourth quarter on 6-of-8 shooting, again carrying the Lakers late in his 21st NBA season.

Game 5 is Monday night in Denver.

“We've given ourselves another lifeline, and it's a one-game series for us,” James said. “Monday's game is the most important game of the season for us, and we understand that.”

Denver swept Los Angeles out of the Western Conference finals last season, but the current Lakers responded to this 0-3 deficit with a performance more worthy of a team that rolled into the postseason with 12 wins in 15 games.

“We get another opportunity to go play one more game, and if we win, come back and play another one and keep moving from there,” Reaves said. “Odds aren’t stacked in our favor, but anytime we can keep ourselves floating above water and give ourselves an opportunity to do something special, we’re up for the challenge.”

Jokic had 33 points, 14 rebounds and 14 assists for his 18th career triple-double and second in this series, but the two-time MVP and his teammates couldn't reassert their usual late-game dominance over the Lakers.

The Lakers’ 19-point lead with just over six minutes left dwindled to 113-106 on Jokic’s three-point play with 1:25 remaining, but Reaves hit a short jumper before adding four free throws in the final minute.

Denver ultimately couldn't overcome yet another slow offensive start in a series full of them.

“Of course we want to (start faster), but I learned in horse racing, it’s not how you start, it’s how you finish,” Jokic said. “We didn’t finish today really well, so hopefully we can do a better job. But yes, we want to be up and control the game, but it seems like that didn’t happen to us.”

Michael Porter Jr. had 27 points and 11 rebounds for Denver, and Jamal Murray scored 22 points while going 0 for 4 on 3-point attempts. Aaron Gordon had just seven points for the Nuggets after putting up 29 in Game 3 during the highest-scoring playoff game of his career — but offense wasn't the Nuggets' problem, according to coach Michael Malone.

“The paint (defense) was a joke,” Malone said after his team allowed a whopping 72 points in the paint.

“Every huddle, I sounded like a broken record tonight," Malone added. "Every huddle was, ‘Paint, paint, paint.’ (In) Game 3, they had 70 and we found a way to win. Tonight, they had 72. That’s an incredible number. ... I just didn’t think we had the requisite physicality or urgency. This did not seem like a closeout game.”

The second-seeded Nuggets also lost a closeout game in last season’s first round while up 3-0 on Minnesota, but Denver won that series in five games and lost only three more times on the way to its first title.

While Jokic was prolific and James seized the spotlight late, Davis was outstanding for the fourth straight game. His 23 rebounds matched his career playoff high, and he even shared the Lakers' team lead with six assists.

“It’s tough to get swept,” Davis said. “Nobody wants that feeling, especially going to the summer. You’ve got to live with that feeling for the rest of the summer. So we didn’t really talk about it. We know what’s at stake. Nobody wants that feeling in your mouth for the rest of the summer. The way we played tonight is the way we have to play the rest of the series.”

The Lakers showed no quit in their dire circumstances in Game 4, pounding the ball inside for 44 points in the paint during the first half and taking their fourth halftime lead of the series.

The Lakers stretched their advantage to 15 points in the third quarter and kept building until the final minutes, when Jokic and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope sparked a Nuggets rally.

“They were really pushing the pace,” Jokic said. “They had open layups. They were destroying us in the paint. We couldn’t make a shot. They couldn’t make a shot either (at times), but it seems like that affected our defense a lot. That’s a great team.”

Reggie Jackson played nine minutes for Denver despite spraining his ankle in the second half of Game 3.

Caleb Williams, the Heisman Trophy-winning former USC quarterback and the No. 1 overall pick in this weekend's NFL draft by the Chicago Bears, watched the game from courtside.

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA

Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James completes a dunk during the second half in Game 4 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series against the Denver Nuggets Saturday, April 27, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James dunks during the second half in Game 4 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series against the Denver Nuggets Saturday, April 27, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Actress Dyan Cannon cheers during the first half in Game 4 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Denver Nuggets Saturday, April 27, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Actor Leonardo DiCaprio, right, watches during the second half in Game 4 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Denver Nuggets Saturday, April 27, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James, left, asks head coach Darvin Ham for a replay review after he was called for a foul during the second half in Game 4 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series Saturday, April 27, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Actress Amy Adams watches during the first half in Game 4 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Denver Nuggets Saturday, April 27, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James ties his shoes during the first half in Game 4 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series against the Denver Nuggets Saturday, April 27, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James, left, complains about a foul call against him as guard D'Angelo Russell looks on during the second half in Game 4 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series against the Denver Nuggets Saturday, April 27, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Businessman Maverick Carter watches during the second half in Game 4 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Denver Nuggets Saturday, April 27, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James, left, knocks the ball from the hands of Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic during the second half in Game 4 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series Saturday, April 27, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Los Angeles Lakers forward Rui Hachimura, left, shoots as Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic defends during the first half in Game 4 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series Saturday, April 27, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Denver Nuggets forward Michael Porter Jr. dunks during the second half in Game 4 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series against the Los Angeles Lakers Saturday, April 27, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Denver Nuggets guard Reggie Jackson, right, shoots as Los Angeles Lakers guard Spencer Dinwiddie defends during the second half in Game 4 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series Saturday, April 27, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Los Angeles Lakers forward Anthony Davis, right, shoots as Denver Nuggets forward Peyton Watson watches during the first half in Game 4 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series Saturday, April 27, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James, right, questions an out of bounds call as Denver Nuggets forward Peyton Watson looks on during the first half in Game 4 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series Saturday, April 27, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Denver Nuggets forward Aaron Gordon (50) shoots as Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) defends during the first half in Game 4 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series Saturday, April 27, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic, left, shoots as Los Angeles Lakers forward Anthony Davis defends during the first half in Game 4 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series Saturday, April 27, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic, right, is fouled by Los Angeles Lakers guard Spencer Dinwiddie as he tries to shoot during the first half in Game 4 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series Saturday, April 27, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Los Angeles Lakers forward Anthony Davis, right, shoots as Denver Nuggets forward Michael Porter Jr. defends during the first half in Game 4 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series Saturday, April 27, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) shoots as Denver Nuggets forward Peyton Watson (8) and center Nikola Jokic defend during the first half in Game 4 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series Saturday, April 27, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — The 12th round of Super Rugby Pacific may have seen a changing of the guard in New Zealand rugby.

The Auckland-based Blues surged to the top of the championship ladder with a 31-27 win over the formerly first-place Hurricanes while the seven-time defending champion Crusaders dropped further back in the playoffs race when they lost 32-29 to the Highlanders.

The only remaining obstacle to the Blues finishing first at the end of the regular season appears to be a clash with the Hamilton-based Chiefs in the last round.

The Crusaders have won only two of their 11 matches in the regular season and seem to have little chance of reaching the playoffs with matches to come against the third-placed ACT Brumbies and the Blues.

A playoffs series without the Christchurch-based Crusaders and with the Blues in top spot could mark a major power shift in New Zealand rugby, at least a return to a different era.

The Blues won Super Rugby in both of its first two seasons in 1996 and 1997 and again in 2003, beating the Crusaders in that year’s final. The Crusaders won the tournament four times between 1998 and 2002 and after the 2003 final at Eden Park became clearly established as New Zealand’s leading team.

The Blues have churned through coaches and their form has been variable at best in the same period. They made the semifinals only twice between 2004 and 2019.

Since the pandemic their performance has improved and they were runners up to the Crusaders in 2022 and finished third last year. This year under head coach Vern Cotter the Blues have won 10 of 11 matches, losing only to the Hurricanes in Wellington in round three.

They now look like a championship side, one that is representative of the largest player catchment in New Zealand rugby. They have the best defensive record in Super Rugby this season and that showed Saturday when they held out the Hurricanes after the fulltime siren to clinch their eighth-straight win.

It is arguable the Blues should have been more dominant than they were on Saturday over a depleted Hurricanes team. Already without their top three hookers and starting scrumhalf, the Hurricanes lost captain Billy Proctor, All Blacks lock Tyrel Lomax and starting lock Justin Sangster just before the start.

The Hurricanes still looked more creative and dangerous than the Blues on attack and kicked more effectively. The Blues continued their policy under Cotter of driving the ball up the middle of the field with one off runners. They repeatedly tried to score from lineout drives but mostly were held up by the Hurricanes.

That might point to the possibility that at full strength and in a re-match at Eden Park in the final, the Hurricanes might come out on top. But the diligence with which the Blues defend their line remains a critical strength.

“If you look at that last two minutes on our line that’s where you get real satisfaction,” Cotter said.

“If there’s a third game (against the Hurricanes in the final), it will be a cracker.”

The question is whether the Blues could prolong success this year into long-term superiority in New Zealand and whether the Crusaders can find their way out of their current slump.

The 12th round had only a little effect on the playoffs standings. The Blues and Hurricanes swapped first and second places but the Brumbies remained third, the Chiefs fourth, the Quensland Reds fifth, the Melbourne Rebels sixth, the Highlanders seventh and Fijian Drua eighth.

The Western Force moved up sharply to ninth place and, after being stuck in last place for most of the season, are now only two points behind the Drua who they beat 48-10 on Saturday.

AP rugby: https://apnews.com/hub/rugby

Mark Tele'a of the Blues runs with the ball during the Super Rugby Pacific Round 11 match between the Melbourne Rebels and the Blues at AAMI Park in Melbourne, Friday, May 3, 2024. The Auckland-based Blues surged to the top of the championship ladder with a 31-27 win over the formerly first-place Hurricanes while the seven-time defending champion Crusaders dropped further back in the playoffs race when they lost 32-29 to the Highlanders. (Scott Barbou/AAP Image via AP)