Lakers edge closer

The Los Angeles Lakers are a victory away from returning to the NBA Finals – and only another comeback from 3-1 down by the Denver Nuggets can stop them. Anthony Davis scored 34 points, LeBron James had 26 and the Lakers beat the Nuggets 114-108 in Game 4 of the Western Conference finals yesterday. Davis got the Lakers off to a fast start with his scoring and James helped them finish it with his defence, forcing Jamal Murray into some late misses after the guard had kept the Nuggets in it with an array of high-difficulty baskets. James added nine rebounds and eight assists, and the Lakers had 12 offensive rebounds for a 25-6 advantage in second-chance points. Game 5 is tomorrow, when the Lakers can reach the NBA Finals for the first time in a decade. The Lakers have 16 championships, one behind Boston for the most in NBA history, but they haven’t played for one since winning their most recent title in 2010.