The Denver Nuggets have once again shown their dominance over the Los Angeles Lakers in their recent playoff matchup. While the Lakers have made improvements to their team, including a healthier LeBron James and the addition of Gabe Vincent and Spencer Dinwiddie, the Nuggets continue to expose fundamental flaws in the Lakers’ game.
In Game 1, the Nuggets found themselves trailing by as much as 12 points in the first half. However, they managed to turn the tide in the third quarter with a strong defensive effort. Despite LeBron James and Anthony Davis combining for an impressive 59 points, 20 rebounds, and 13 assists, the Lakers were unable to secure a victory. The Nuggets’ defense effectively neutralized Lakers guard D’Angelo Russell, forcing him into a poor shooting night and leading the Lakers into a double-digit deficit.
On the offensive end, the Nuggets capitalized on defensive weaknesses by targeting Russell and Austin Reaves. By making them guard pick-and-rolls, the Nuggets created open shot opportunities. Additionally, Nikola Jokic proved to be a difficult matchup for the Lakers, scoring 32 points while grabbing 12 rebounds and dishing out seven assists.
The Nuggets’ ability to make opponents play near-perfect basketball for a full 48 minutes is what sets them apart from other teams. Even when the Lakers played well for most of the game, a few defensive lapses and missed shots were all it took for the Nuggets to take control. The Lakers’ efforts were simply not enough against a team that knows how to capitalize on mistakes.
While it’s possible that the Lakers may have a perfect game at some point in the series, it will likely be just one game. The Nuggets have consistently proven themselves to be the better team overall. The Lakers may have made changes since last season, but the bottom line remains unchanged: the Nuggets are superior. It will take something extraordinary for this series to unfold differently than it did last year.