LOS ANGELES — LeBron James, in the Lakers’ white uniform, stood at the scorer’s table, filled his hands with chalk and tossed it into the evening air — the same as always.

Yet Saturday, even if it was like the previous 11 meetings with the Denver Nuggets, was always going to be different.

Before Saturday, a loss didn’t mean the Lakers might make a coaching change. Before Saturday, a loss didn’t mean the Lakers were going to have to reimagine their roster.

Before Saturday, a loss didn’t mean LeBron James might’ve thrown that chalk into the air for the last time as a Laker.

The stakes were so high — but the feeling was so familiar.

With 12 minutes left — two hours or so since James threw the powder into the air — the Lakers were at that point again.

Stand or fall. Resist or crumble. Lead or lose.

Back to Denver or off to Cancun.

For the first time this series — really for the first time since the end of 2022 — the Lakers didn’t fall apart against the Nuggets’ second-half force. They didn’t panic as Denver pushed and as Lakers’ shots rimmed in and out.

James drove through the Denver defense to hit the big buckets in the fourth quarter, D’Angelo Russell bounced back from a nightmare Game 3, Austin Reaves was aggressive and Anthony Davis dominated as the Lakers won, 119-108, to extend their series with the Nuggets at least through Monday.

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