Despite a sweep last spring, the Lakers intend to play their card to the fullest in the first round of the 2024 Playoffs against the Denver Nuggets. Can the Purple and Gold take their revenge against what increasingly resembles their nemesis?
When was the last time the Lakers won against the Nuggets? As of December 16, 2022 and a 126-108 success at the Crypto.com Arena. Since then, Denver has ruled over the Angelinos again and again. 8 matches since December 2022 and 8 victories for the Nuggets including a 4-0 inflicted during the last Conference Finals. If the Lakers are capable of competing with their Rockies rivals, they often tend to wear out against a team that knows where to press to really hurt LeBron James’ friends.
Last year, Bruce Brown (now with the Raptors) explained that the Nuggets were happy to target D’Angelo Russell on defense. With BronBron also having to play on one leg, the challenge was simply impossible for the Lakers. A little less than 12 months later, here we are again, LA and Denver face to face.
When it comes to predictions, many see the gold diggers winning hands down. Some even felt that the Lakers should have lost to the Pelicans on purpose to try to outplay the Thunder by winning the second game of the Play-in Tournament. A totally absurd solution according to Darvin Ham, who explained that you had to be “crazy” to imagine this solution.
The Lakers know that they are starting from far away but they also have reason to believe in their chances. LeBron James arrives in the Playoffs this time without any major injuries to deal with. Anthony Davis assured him that his back would be operational to launch hostilities this Sunday. In terms of overall dynamics, the Lakers also have nothing to look down on against the Nuggets since the King and his team have won 12 of their last 15 games. They have the 5th best record in the NBA since February 1st.
However, it is the reigning champion opposite, with a potential MVP in its ranks and a group that knows each other by heart. An Everest-sized challenge that LeBron James never fails to recall. Comments reported by The Athletic.
“He’s the defending champion. They know what to do. They know how to win. They have been extremely dominant at home in recent years. They have an MVP on their team. They have high level players, high IQ players. And they have a great coach.”
“We have to make it difficult for them. They’re going to try to make it difficult for us, that’s obvious. But if we play as well as we do and they play as well as they do, it will come down to one or two possessions. And we will see who will be the most effective at that time.”
Source texte : The Athletic
2024-04-18 12:57:00
#Lakers #fear #reunion #Nuggets
