2024 NBA Playoffs: West 1st Round: #2 Denver Nuggets vs #7 Los Angeles Lakers (DEN WINS 4-1)

[GeorgeSears]

I predicted this game would be closer, but let's be honest here: this was an epic choke job by the Lakers. This was worse than the Sixers collapsing to the Knicks.

They had everything going for them in this one: DLo had the game of his life, AD was unstoppable, LeBron was playing well, they shot over 40% from 3, Murray and KCP were ice cold for most of the game, they were up 20 in the 3rd. Most of the time, that's a recipe for success.

The Lakers biggest problems: They got outrebounded again, 6 turnovers in the 2nd half compared to only 1 from Nuggets, their bench was non-existent, and predictably poor execution down the stretch as they don't have a go-to play.

[WentzerWuver]

It’s not even the wide open missed 3 I’m upset about. It’s the defensive sequence after. Lebron saw Murray coming down the court and he got SCARED and quickly switched off of Murray. Just a weak move by the self-proclaimed GOAT. If you’re gonna call yourself one, then act like it on the court! Be a leader and stop whining too! Next game mentality
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Lebron like most visiting players were tired playing up at a mile high altitude with thin air so leave him alone! It takes at least a month to get acclimated as I been up there and just get tired walking for some reason.

It's like trying to play a game at Mt Everest!

[EmpireFalls]

I don’t think this series will even be competitive in LA.

That is a mentally broken team and Denver will not play or shoot that poorly again. I predict a dominant sweep.

[Tha Cynic]

Jokic is probably the best center ever if we're being real.

No he's not. He's not even top 5 of all time, recency bias is a helluva drug

Not really. He's basically as perfect as it gets for a big man. It's too bad he played a couple of post seasons without Murray who hasn't even made an all-star team yet. His team outside of Murray is basically a bunch of mediocre to good role players.

[WentzerWuver]

I don’t think this series will even be competitive in LA.

Lakers plays much better at Staples unless the Nuggets gonna take a rain check and just win all their home games Lol

[TinmanZBoy]

I think that when they reviewed they came to the conclusion that hitting dLo in the face should be allowed.

The ball already left his hand prior the contact, they don't call those no more.

there were countless time this call has been called or reviewd that way this season. yes, it's def not consistent but i've seen this call dozens of times throughout the season get called that way and it makes sense - the incidental hit on the face doesn't impact the play at all, the ball has long since left his hands

The issue is they call games differently between regular season and playoffs… now only one game cracked 120 points in the playoff so far? While in regular season, teams routinely top that number

[Ambrose]

All Denver did was hold home court. If AD and D'lo finally have good games and Denver isn't hot from 3 they can come back.

Outside of Jokic/MPJ Denver was 0/20 from 3. They haven't been hot.

[Tha Cynic]

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It was a dumb question by the reporter. Murray just made a tough contested fadeaway.

[Jadoogar]

Lebron is the new Toronto Raptors and Jamal Murray is the new Lebronto.

It's very satisfying to watch as a canadian and Raptors' fan.

[Exp0sed]

The ball already left his hand prior the contact, they don't call those no more.

there were countless time this call has been called or reviewd that way this season. yes, it's def not consistent but i've seen this call dozens of times throughout the season get called that way and it makes sense - the incidental hit on the face doesn't impact the play at all, the ball has long since left his hands

The issue is they call games differently between regular season and playoffs… now only one game cracked 120 points in the playoff so far? While in regular season, teams routinely top that number

that isn't accurate. scoring was exploding to the point of very wide criticism. following the ASB the league made silent changes to how the game is officiated, check out league average splits before and after. it was obvious they intended to call the game in the playoffs similarly to how it was called post ASB and not how it was called for most of the season, the post ASB changes were like a pilot and the pilot was succesfull

[NYPiston]

I will say it again. Denver is the Excellence of Execution! No other team can buckle down and just make player after play after play after play like they can. They can play damn near flawless basketball longer than any other team in the league. They are connected, no other team has that level of poise.

It's very hard to envision any team, even Boston, beating them 4 times in a series. Not only do they have the talent but they play so well with each other, play smart basketball and are coached by a great coach sort of like a modern day Spurs. Really fun to watch a real TEAM execute like they do.

[Jadoogar]

All Denver did was hold home court. If AD and D'lo finally have good games and Denver isn't hot from 3 they can come back.

Outside of Jokic/MPJ Denver was 0/20 from 3. They haven't been hot.

and what does he mean by "if AD and D'lo finally have good games"? Both of those guys were fantastic last night. Are you expecting D'Lo to shoot better than 7/11 from three?

This has got to be disheartening for the Lakers. Lebron, AD and Russell were all awesome and they still lost.

[GeorgeSears]

The reffing has been pretty good the last 9/10 matchups these teams played. IMO game 3 of WCF was by far the worst.

[Tha Cynic]

Daaaamn I saw the Lakers postgame feed and they must've bleeped it out, just saw the unfiltered version:

Read on Twitter

Yup, he's definitely getting fined

The Lakers of all people shouldn't be bitching about officiating. They finished comfortably at the top in FT differential while being bottom 5 in drives to the basket. LeBron of all people has no room to complain
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They did this last season too. They know their only chance to win is free throws and fouling out Denver's players. The NBA kind of perpetuates the problem by given them gifts during the regular season to the point where the Lakers think every play should be freethrows for them. I'll bet Denver can look at the game and find a foul that wasn't called and bitch about it too.

[TheGeneral99]

Man just watched the last 2 plays Lebron had a WIDE OPEN shot but you can see he has doubt on it and missed it then Murray gets it going down the floor Lebron is out there to guard him but nope Lebron easily gives up the switch you can see in his face and body language he is so scared and knows what might happen knowing Jamal Murray then bam Murray hits the shot.

This is what separates Lebron from Jordan, Jokic, Bird, Magic even Kobe. He just is scared of the moment sometimes when the stakes are highest. You can say 2016 and 2013 but really Ray and Kyrie hit the shots with the most pressure. Even on defense he on last plays he is afraid he will get put on a poster game winning shot unlike Kobe who really wants to guard the player taking the last shot. This is what we say when it comes to MENTALITY Lebron is weak. Although the amazing thing is despite that weak mentality he is still one of the greatest. What is just unfortunate is we couldve seen someone so much better with that Jordan Bird Mamba Mentality.

I just watched the whole game this morning (live in London atm) and Lebron played amazing all game. He was really good on D and took it to the rim all game and made clutch shots all game. I was sure he'd make that three in the end that he missed. Fatigue will get to the best. LeBron had a really good game and this loss is not on him. This coming from a Denver fan btw.

Not only that but you would rather have AD switched on Murray given that AD is one of the best defenders in the league when insane quickness and length for his size.

I critique Lebron a lot but he was really good last night.

[AleksandarN]

Read on Twitter

[cupcakesnake]

How do the Lakers never win these close games with the Nuggets?

Low key no one does.

LA comes into crunch time crossing their fingers there are some defensive breakdowns by Denver that allows LA to get some big threes. On the other side, Denver can roll straight into their best offensive actions that practically guarantee a high quality shot.

LA doesn't have the personnel to guarantee a great possession. Not enough spacing for a really AD/Lebron pick & roll (and neither of them are ultra dangerous countering into midrange pullups). No super easy matchup to get to against Denver's scram switching (like I'm sure they'd love to get Lebron posting up Murray but Denver makes that hard and is so good at helping while off-ball switching to take away easy Lebron passes). No single action that punctures Denver's defense on its own. Basically they some action and hope they can create a defensive breakdown and hope Lebron/Reaves/D'Lo hits a 3.

Meanwhile when Denver has the ball, they auto-puncture the defense every time and all they need is 1 screen from Joker, or one entry pass to Joker. They're getting a good shot. You have to pray they miss.

You have to figure LA gets lucky one of these games and steals one. But that's what watching every Nuggets/Lakers playoff game feels like: Denver is inevitable. The Lakers play their asses off all game and hope for a miracle. They've never been able to stop Denver in crunch time. I don't have a memory of one team so consistently beating another in these kinds of situations.

[dWadeOwnzYou]

Not sure whats more impressive, the 20pt comeback or the fact that Denver had beaten the Lakers 10 in a row.

[TinmanZBoy]

Read on Twitter

Not a good look, pure distraction

[Tha Cynic]

Not speaking to any possible effect on the outcome, but overturning that call makes no sense at all

Wasn't it deemed incidental because the contact contact after the shot went up? Or am I think of something else?

Yeah this is what I figured when I saw the replay. The hit had nothing to do with the play. The ball was already out of his hands and the follow-through hit him.