Lakers star defies doubters and issues a warning to the Nuggets

It’s do-or-die time for the Los Angeles Lakers entering Game 5 of their first-round series with the Denver Nuggets. Down 3-1 in the series, the Lakers are hoping to force the series back to Los Angeles for Game 6 — which would give them a puncher’s chance of doing what no NBA team has ever done before: win a series after losing the first three games in it.

And according to one of their star players, the Lakers can’t be counted out when they return to Ball Arena for this series’ fifth game. Momentum can be a dangerous thing in sports, and droughts exist solely to be ended someday.

LeBron James throws the courage of his life in game 4 of Lakers vs. Nuggets

Can Lakers’ momentum propel them into Game 6?

Before Game 5 on Monday night, Lakers guard Austin Reaves said his teammates were “ready for the challenge” of sending the defending champions packing — which will not be an easy feat, seeing as their victory in Game 4 was the Lakers’ first over the Nuggets in 12 games.

“(The) odds aren’t stacked in our favor, but anytime we can keep ourselves floating above water, we have an opportunity to go do something special,” Reaves said.

Los Angeles won that game by outrebounding Denver and forcing 14 Nuggets turnovers, and the Lakers received superstar performances from LeBron James (30 points in 39 minutes) and Anthony Davis (25 points and 23 rebounds), in addition to 21 points from Reaves. That will likely need to be head coach Darvin Ham‘s formula as the series shifts back to Denver for Game 5 — and for a potential Game 7.

Not even LeBron, in his storied career, has ever been able to lead a team back from a 3-0 deficit — although his Cleveland Cavaliers did rally from 3-1 down to top the Golden State Warriors in the now-classic 2016 NBA Finals. James, now 39, will have to summon all his magic to keep the Lakers alive against the Nuggets and their imposing star big man Nikola Jokic.