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After getting to within one point of the Los Angeles Lakers in the fourth quarter of Game 4 on Thursday, the Denver Nuggets were unable to get any closer and ultimately lost 114-108 to fall to a 3-1 series deficit in the Western Conference Finals.
Nuggets rookie Michael Porter Jr. said afterward that the difference in the game was on the boards and he may be right. The Lakers outrebounded the Nuggets 41-33 with 12 coming on the offensive glass alone, giving L.A. 25 second-chance points in the contest.
The Lakers held a 13-7 rebound advantage in the fourth quarter as the Nuggets were attempting to make a comeback. L.A. even had three key offensive rebounds late, which ultimately proved to be the dagger. Porter said the Nuggets must clean up the glass to have a chance moving forward.
As a team, we definitely think we lost it on the boards. I think they had 12 offensive rebounds for 25 points and that was a big area that really hurt us. The game we won last game we outrebounded them so that has to be a point of emphasis and we gotta do better going forward making sure they don’t get those second-chance points.
The difference in the game very well came down to rebounding and the Nuggets could have benefitted from Porter playing more than 20 minutes. He recorded 13 points and eight rebounds off of the bench and was, shockingly, the Nuggets’ leader in rebounds.
According to Joel Rush of Forbes.com, the Nuggets’ rebounding percentage was 52.8 with Porter on the floor but was 37.3 when he was on the bench. Porter logged six minutes in the fourth quarter but was out of the game during the final five minutes and his rebounding could have made a difference late as the Nuggets were trying to come back.
In 21 min w/ Michael Porter Jr. ON the court, #Nuggets' rebound percentage was 52.8%.
In 27 min w/ MPJ OFF the court, Denver's rebound % was 37.3%.
That's a team-high +15.5% on/off differential.
LAL outrebounded DEN 41-33 (12-6 off.) & won 2nd chance points 25-6 in a 6pt game. pic.twitter.com/dPFMUWKH0e
— Joel Rush (@JoelRushNBA) September 25, 2020
Of course, the Nuggets had more issues than just rebounding so Porter alone in the game may not have made a huge difference but his presence on the floor could have given Denver a better chance late. Porter has often struggled on defense and that could have been why he didn’t play over the final five minutes of the contest.
Playoff games are often a chess match between head coaches to see which one can make the right adjustments from game to game so it will be interesting to see how Michael Malone approaches Game 5 with the Nuggets’ season on the line. Denver has come back from two consecutive 3-1 series deficits and will be looking to accomplish that feat again on Saturday.
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