LeBron James treated Game 4 like a must-win. Anthony Davis, on the other hand, treated it like his final game in New Orleans back in 2019.
Davis no-showed against the Nuggets, sending the Lakers out in a sweep by losing 113-111. Darvin Ham lamented the team's inability to finish at the rim, a huge indictment of 6-foot-10 Davis. "Can't be tentative," he told Lisa Salters between the third and fourth quarters as Davis sat on the bench to start the fourth.
The ugly performance from Davis was even more galling given the fact that James had a game that belongs in his personal record book. Not only did he
score his 8,000th career playoff point, he also posted a career-high for points in a postseason half with 31 in the first half. The Lakers built a 73-58 lead but trailed 94-89 entering the fourth when James took a backseat in the third and no one stepped up in his place.
Despite having a couple of nice blocks and an emphatic dunk to tie the game at 102,
Davis was often late to close out on three-pointers, including a foul on a Jamal Murray attempt to put the Nuggets up three. He finished with 21 points but on an inefficient 15 shots.
But his transformation into a non-factor -- unable to capitalize on James's great game -- in the Lakers' final game will be the lasting impression of Davis for this season.
