THE LOS ANGELES Lakers entered the fourth quarter of Game 3 of the Western Conference finals trailing the Denver Nuggets by 18 points when Lakers coach Frank Vogel called for a zone defense -- a strategic move NBA coaches once considered a last resort, but one that is becoming increasingly common this postseason.
The Lakers used their zone to rack up five steals in less than three minutes, cutting the lead down to as little as three points. And while the Nuggets recovered to win the game, the defensive switch nearly led to the second-biggest comeback of LeBron James' lengthy playoff career.