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

[GeorgeSears]

I’m tired of this story being narrated through the lakers eyes. Nuggets are defending champs. The lakers were a play in team.

They are a play-in team, and as Bill Parcell's once said :You are what your record says you are", but last season they finished the regular season with a lot of momentum and took out Memphis and GS in rounds 1 and 2, respectively.

This season, they ended 14-6 in their last 20 games with a lot of momentum. This was a flawed, yet dangerous, team heading into the playoffs.

[BigGargamel]

I’m tired of this story being narrated through the lakers eyes. Nuggets are defending champs. The lakers were a play in team.

Not surprised. Life of a Nuggets fan.

Lakers missed shots
Bad coaching
D-Lo is terrible
LeBron James body language (LOL @ this one from RealGM)
etc etc etc

But no one is saying

Denver is the defending Champs, the Lakers are a two time play-in team, the talent, coaching, culture, level between the two teams is night and day.

I'm just glad as a Nuggets fan to get this Lakers media circle jerk out of the way during the first round this time, and not the WCF.

[NyKnicks1714]

It's wild to me that the Mavericks, Suns, and Sixers are all heavier favorites in their next game than Denver is right now (Boston too but that's not surprising).

The amount of dumb money being put on the Lakers is staggering. If that wasn't a factor I feel like Denver would be something like -7.5 right now.

[nbafan38]

It's wild to me that the Mavericks, Suns, and Sixers are all heavier favorites in their next game than Denver is right now (Boston too but that's not surprising).

The amount of dumb money being put on the Lakers is staggering. If that wasn't a factor I feel like Denver would be something like -7.5 right now.

Home teams always get about a 3 point edge so I don't think it's that unreasonable. In any event the easy bet this series is just bet Denver ML at halftime lol.

[NyKnicks1714]

It's wild to me that the Mavericks, Suns, and Sixers are all heavier favorites in their next game than Denver is right now (Boston too but that's not surprising).

The amount of dumb money being put on the Lakers is staggering. If that wasn't a factor I feel like Denver would be something like -7.5 right now.

Home teams always get about a 3 point edge so I don't think it's that unreasonable. In any event the easy bet this series is just bet Denver ML at halftime lol.

Lakers +135. If they were +200 right now would you bet on them? I wouldn't.

[AleksandarN]

Lakers in 9!

Read on Twitter

[nbafan38]

It's wild to me that the Mavericks, Suns, and Sixers are all heavier favorites in their next game than Denver is right now (Boston too but that's not surprising).

The amount of dumb money being put on the Lakers is staggering. If that wasn't a factor I feel like Denver would be something like -7.5 right now.

Home teams always get about a 3 point edge so I don't think it's that unreasonable. In any event the easy bet this series is just bet Denver ML at halftime lol.

Lakers +135. If they were +200 right now would you bet on them? I wouldn't.

No I wouldn't but we are talking one game at home. Do I expect the lakers to win tomorrow? No. Would I be shocked if they did? No.

[CobraCommander]

Honestly, I'm not even confident the Lakers would beat OKC playing the way they are now. They definitely would win a game or two for sure but with the way they collapse during 2nd halves, idk lol.

The delusion for the lakers is real

They would be swept by OKC dallas minny - They needed to play the Suns to have a chance

Idk, OKC is young so I feel like if its a close game like it was against the Nuggets, they'd fold at least once against Lebron whereas the Nuggets just execute with Jokic.

Nope - no - sga and then Boys would want to embarrass lbj because this might be the first time anyone they know watches them on tv lol

[G35]

LeBron legacy is set either he's your GOAT or the runner up.

If you still holding a 40 yr old LeBron accountable then the jokes on you.

How many teams have owned Lebron in his career?
- The Spurs twice beat his teams down bad in the finals
- Then the Warriors came out of nowhere and put together a dynasty right in the middle of Lebron's prime
- Now the Nuggets came out of nowhere and have owned Lebron for 10 straight games and on the verge of sweeping him twice

This is why people talk about how Lebron had a cakewalk in the East...notice all those teams that actually challenged Lebron teams are all from the West.....

If LeBron played in the West his whole career chances are higher he'd have been drafted to or joined a higher quality organization numbnuts

Yes, and he still would not have went to 10 finals. Kobe and Shaq went to four, Duncan went to seven, Kobe and Pau went to three, Steph/Klay/Dray went to five.

The point is that there was no competition in the East, there is always competition in the West because the organizations are better run. But Lebron has not shown that he can build a team with a good organization in the West, he's been pretty bad outside of the bubble year.....

[Heej]

How many teams have owned Lebron in his career?
- The Spurs twice beat his teams down bad in the finals
- Then the Warriors came out of nowhere and put together a dynasty right in the middle of Lebron's prime
- Now the Nuggets came out of nowhere and have owned Lebron for 10 straight games and on the verge of sweeping him twice

This is why people talk about how Lebron had a cakewalk in the East...notice all those teams that actually challenged Lebron teams are all from the West.....

If LeBron played in the West his whole career chances are higher he'd have been drafted to or joined a higher quality organization numbnuts

Yes, and he still would not have went to 10 finals. Kobe and Shaq went to four, Duncan went to seven, Kobe and Pau went to three, Steph/Klay/Dray went to five.

The point is that there was no competition in the East, there is always competition in the West because the organizations are better run. But Lebron has not shown that he can build a team with a good organization in the West, he's been pretty bad outside of the bubble year.....

LeBron never played for a good organization in the West. The Lakers are braindead inbreds that he rescued LMFAO. That franchise is going straight to hell the second he leaves as long as the Bussdowns own it.

[AleksandarN]

You are down 0 - 3 on the brink of getting swept and you DON’T practice today? WTF. Whereas the defending champs ahead 3 - 0 and probably knows all of their actions still practice. How do you not have a practice?

https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/40032301/lakers-ham-not-changing-lineup-nuggets-eye-sweep-game-4

"I'm not changing my starting lineup," Ham said Friday after L.A. had a film session in lieu of practice

[Donuts83]

undisciplined defense smh. Dont bail him out right there

[MagicMamba88]

Read on Twitter

[LeBronSpaghetti]

It’s just basketball

[The Explorer]

If LeBron played in the West his whole career chances are higher he'd have been drafted to or joined a higher quality organization numbnuts

Yes, and he still would not have went to 10 finals. Kobe and Shaq went to four, Duncan went to seven, Kobe and Pau went to three, Steph/Klay/Dray went to five.

The point is that there was no competition in the East, there is always competition in the West because the organizations are better run. But Lebron has not shown that he can build a team with a good organization in the West, he's been pretty bad outside of the bubble year.....

LeBron never played for a good organization in the West. The Lakers are braindead inbreds that he rescued LMFAO. That franchise is going straight to hell the second he leaves as long as the Bussdowns own it.

Braindead inbreds?
Strange way to deflect blame on everyone else.

[bb22]

LeBron knew it was over after game 2, and it rubbed off on the rest of the team because there’s no other leadership. I don’t think Ham should take all the blame, but the only adjustments made in the past 11 games was putting Rui on Jokic a year ago. I’m not sure how one guards the Jokic/Murray pnr or covers AG on the baseline, but sagging off and having little physicality or energy doesn’t won’t do it. Kudos to the nuggets for just being way better AND putting in more effort.

[GeorgeSears]

I’m tired of this story being narrated through the lakers eyes. Nuggets are defending champs. The lakers were a play in team.

Not surprised. Life of a Nuggets fan.

Lakers missed shots
Bad coaching
D-Lo is terrible
LeBron James body language (LOL @ this one from RealGM)
etc etc etc

But no one is saying

Denver is the defending Champs, the Lakers are a two time play-in team, the talent, coaching, culture, level between the two teams is night and day.

I'm just glad as a Nuggets fan to get this Lakers media circle jerk out of the way during the first round this time, and not the WCF.

Of course that's going to be the narrative.

The Lakers are the most popular basketball franchise in the world. They're worth $7.3B, second behind the Dallas cowboys. They have the most popular player of all time on their team. 17 titles. Legacy, pedigree, you name it.

The Kings had to deal with the same narratives when they beat the Warriors. It was immediately: Draymond killed the team, Klay's washed, bad roster construction etc. and not the Kings are younger, hungrier, and better.

[durden_tyler]

Lakers now +4 dogs. Series should be over tonight. (or so i hope)

[ChipotleWest]

Rui Hachimura is blaming experience together as a team as the reason why the Nuggets are destroying the Lakers.

That's not it, Rui.

[AleksandarN]

Rui Hachimura is blaming experience together as a team as the reason why the Nuggets are destroying the Lakers.

That's not it, Rui.

Well practicing would help. The Lakers decided not to yesterday. Whereas the Nuggets did. You are on a brink of elimination and decide not practice shameful