Column: Lakers appear beyond saving, especially by LeBron James

Lakers forward LeBron James, left, attempts a fadeway shot while he’s fouled by Nuggets forward Jeff Green during the fourth quarter of Game 3 on Saturday evening at Crypto.com Arena.

(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

Another three-pointer. Another miss. LeBron James remained frozen on the three-point line, as if he were in disbelief. His right arm was extended. His wrist was bent. A couple of minutes later in the fourth quarter, James failed to finish at the rim after he was fouled. James threw back his head. His body language told the story of the game.There would be no miracle for James or the Lakers on Saturday night. In the wake of a 119-108 defeat to the Denver Nuggets on Saturday at Crypto.com Arena, the Lakers were pushed to the edge of elimination, as they are now behind in the Western Conference finals, three games to none. Their season could be over on Monday night. James didn’t make any major fourth-quarter blunders or miss every one of his three-point attempts in Game 3, as he did in the previous two games of the series. He wasn’t awful, scoring 23 points, registering 12 assists and collecting seven rebounds. He just wasn’t great, and he had to be great to make up for the substantial gap that exists between the Nuggets and Lakers. As much as James has denied it, playing round after round in these playoffs looks as if it has taken its toll on his 38-year-old body. “We had some opportunities,” James said, “but we didn’t come through.”