After avoiding the sweep in Game 4, the Los Angeles Lakers visit the Denver Nuggets in the Rockies. Can LeBron James and his gang keep the suspense going a little longer or not? Start of hostilities from 4 a.m.
The context :
Unlike the Suns, the Lakers were able to save their honor this weekend but many see this victory as the beginnings of a gentleman’s sweep. Yes, Denver missed out in LA but who imagines Nikola Jokic and the Nuggets missing the boat a second time on their home court? The reigning champion remains sure of his strength and even without impressing, he has the weapons to finish the job against the King and AD.
Player to watch: LeBron James
Not a very original choice, some might say, but it is also an opportunity to ask an important question. If the Lakers lose tonight in Denver, will we have seen LBJ’s last game in a purple and gold jersey? The King has a player option and he can test the market this summer, with possibly the idea of finding his son if he is drafted by a franchise in June. BronBron could also join a team better equipped to play for the title in order to get a final ring before putting away his sneakers. We are on big speculation but this Game 5 could have greater consequences than a simple ticket for the second round of the Playoffs. In the meantime, the Akron native called on his family to give everything for this confrontation which could restart the series in the event of a victory for LA
The big question: Can the Lakers (still) make the Nuggets doubt?
On paper, Denver remains favorite for this meeting. The Nuggets still have the best five and well-established automatisms around the genius of Nikola Jokic. If the bench is sometimes lacking, the gold prospectors have proven that they never give up, even in very complicated situations (see Game 2). We will still monitor the state of the calf of Jamal Murray. The leader is listed as doubtful for this meeting and his absence could weigh heavily, even if he has struggled to find the target since the start of the series. (21 points on average but 38% shooting including 21% from distance).
Opposite, the Lakers will rely as always on the two-headed monster LeBron – AD, with the hope that Reaves and Russell will find skill to support them. The last victory was good for the Angelinos, who finally saw that they could hold a score against a team that is not successful at all. There is also hope of seeing Jarred Vanderbilt in uniform. The power forward was listed as doubtful for this meeting and his defensive and rebounding impact would be good, even if the question of pace arises concerning him. No need to calculate for LA anymore, it’s victory or vacation.
The X Factor: Nuggets’ ability to react and home-court advantage
In addition to the statistics of the teams which do not come back from 0-3 in the Playoffs (unheard of, remember), we must mention the mentality of the Nuggets and their ability to always react. Aside from the Suns, no team managed to take two games in a row from them in the Playoffs last year. At home, Denver also remains a fortress. Of the last 13 games played at Ball Arena in the postseason, the Nuggets have won.. 12. Only the Heat managed to create a surprise in the NBA Finals. Can Los Angeles and its less than 50% away from home this season (19-21) do the same?
2024-04-29 14:55:00
#Lakers #preview #Game #vacation #time
