As they have in each prior series, the Lakers appear to have responded to their wake-up call from the entertaining and resilient Nuggets. They barely survived Game 2 and absorbed a blowout loss in Game 4. But they controlled the action most of the way in Game 4 and held off a Denver charge that gave its backers a fortunate push. With a berth in the NBA Finals in sight, look for a focused LeBron James to lead a commanding series clincher.

The Nuggets find themselves in a familiar position here. They were down 3-1 in their first two series of the playoffs and came back to win both. That will be a tall order against the Lakers, but it’s highly unlikely that the Nuggets go down without a fight. Anthony Davis injured his ankle in Game 4 and is expected to play Saturday, but he might not be at full strength. Expect this game to be close, and it wouldn’t be a surprise to see the Nuggets win.