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

[BelgradeNugget]

lebron and ad have been healthy all year and their role guys seem to have played better as of late. Denver looked a bit less dominant late in the season compared to how they finished last year. Denver is the better team assuming no injuries but the lakers are more dangerous in the first round then they would be in the wcf. This could go 7.

2022-23 post all-star break
Nuggets 12-11, 15th in the NBA

2023-24 post all-star break
Nuggets 21-6, 1st in the NBA

Last year they secured 1st in the west so they realxed a little at the end, anyway this year's end is much better

ok, guess my memory tricked me again. How do you feel about your bench going into this playoffs vs last? will losing Brown be felt or do you think that his contribution has been filled by others?

Net rating of Nuggets bench players in rs that were in the playoffs rotation last season

Bruce Brown 0.8
Christian Braun -4.3
Jeff Green -8.0

Net rating of Nuggets bench players in rs that may be in the playoffs rotation this year

Justin Holiday 3.7
Reggie Jackson 1.4
Christian Braun 0.7
Peyton Watson -0.7

Same players post all-star break

Justin Holiday 4.8
Reggie Jackson 4.6
Christian Braun 9.3
Peyton Watson -1.1

per 36 stats

Bruce Brown 22-23 season 14.6/5.2/4.2 shooting 48.3/35.8/75.8
Christian Braun 23-24 season 13.0/6.7/2.9 shooting 46.0/38.4/69.4

Christian Braun had Bruce Brawn's role and after the all-star break he was as good (if not better) in both O and D

per 36 stats, pre all-star break

Reggie Jackson 16.9/3.3/6.2 shooting 45.7/37.2/77.6

Reggie before all-star break was much better on O than Bruce was. After all-star break Reggie was terrible. We will see was it fatigue (played much more games and minutes than expected) or Reggie's inconsistency. Good thing is we don't need super Reggie for playoffs.

People don't undrestand how thin Nuggets bench was last year. Our 7th player was rookie Christian Braun. He scored 0 points in 4 games in WCF. Our 8th player and backup big was Jeff Green. He averaged 1.1 rebounds per 36 minutes in the finals.

Our biggest weakness is Zake Nnaji. He is a beckup big and had -11.9 net rating. Was realy, realy bad. We can avoid playing him using Aaron Gordon as backup C and Payton Watson at PF, but if we had to play him in case of injury it can be a problem.

Anyway Nuggets are better than last year, Jokic is a little bit better, Murray is much better, MPJ improved, same as bench, but
Boston is much better, Minnesota is much better, Dallas is much better, OKC is much better, Clippers are better, Phoenix is better New York is much better, 76ers are better than last year, so it will be interesting...

[BigDan245]

Denver is so thin...If one of their main guys gets hurt, that could be it for them. And I'm not even talking about Jokic or Murray.

If they don't run into any injuries, they'll probably be the favorites to win the west.

[Ambrose]

2022-23 post all-star break
Nuggets 12-11, 15th in the NBA

2023-24 post all-star break
Nuggets 21-6, 1st in the NBA

Last year they secured 1st in the west so they realxed a little at the end, anyway this year's end is much better

ok, guess my memory tricked me again. How do you feel about your bench going into this playoffs vs last? will losing Brown be felt or do you think that his contribution has been filled by others?

Net rating of Nuggets bench players in rs that were in the playoffs rotation last season

Bruce Brown 0.8
Christian Braun -4.3
Jeff Green -8.0

Net rating of Nuggets bench players in rs that may be in the playoffs rotation this year

Justin Holiday 3.7
Reggie Jackson 1.4
Christian Braun 0.7
Peyton Watson -0.7

Same players post all-star break

Justin Holiday 4.8
Reggie Jackson 4.6
Christian Braun 9.3
Peyton Watson -1.1

per 36 stats

Bruce Brown 22-23 season 14.6/5.2/4.2 shooting 48.3/35.8/75.8
Christian Braun 23-24 season 13.0/6.7/2.9 shooting 46.0/38.4/69.4

Christian Braun had Bruce Brawn's role and after the all-star break he was as good (if not better) in both O and D

per 36 stats, pre all-star break

Reggie Jackson 16.9/3.3/6.2 shooting 45.7/37.2/77.6

Reggie before all-star break was much better on O than Bruce was. After all-star break Reggie was terrible. We will see was it fatigue (played much more games and minutes than expected) or Reggie's inconsistency. Good thing is we don't need super Reggie for playoffs.

People don't undrestand how thin Nuggets bench was last year. Our 7th player was rookie Christian Braun. He scored 0 points in 4 games in WCF. Our 8th player and backup big was Jeff Green. He averaged 1.1 rebounds per 36 minutes in the finals.

Our biggest weakness is Zake Nnaji. He is a beckup big and had -11.9 net rating. Was realy, realy bad. We can avoid playing him using Aaron Gordon as backup C and Payton Watson at PF, but if we had to play him in case of injury it can be a problem.

Anyway Nuggets are better than last year, Jokic is a little bit better, Murray is much better, MPJ improved, same as bench, but
Boston is much better, Minnesota is much better, Dallas is much better, OKC is much better, Clippers are better, Phoenix is better New York is much better, 76ers are better than last year, so it will be interesting...

I think people forget Denver played a historically small rotation to win it all last year. It was the big 6, and then Braun (sometimes, for defense) and Green (sometimes, and he was awful). They are definitely deeper this year. Having that strong 6th guy is important though.

[BelgradeNugget]

ok, guess my memory tricked me again. How do you feel about your bench going into this playoffs vs last? will losing Brown be felt or do you think that his contribution has been filled by others?

Net rating of Nuggets bench players in rs that were in the playoffs rotation last season

Bruce Brown 0.8
Christian Braun -4.3
Jeff Green -8.0

Net rating of Nuggets bench players in rs that may be in the playoffs rotation this year

Justin Holiday 3.7
Reggie Jackson 1.4
Christian Braun 0.7
Peyton Watson -0.7

Same players post all-star break

Justin Holiday 4.8
Reggie Jackson 4.6
Christian Braun 9.3
Peyton Watson -1.1

per 36 stats

Bruce Brown 22-23 season 14.6/5.2/4.2 shooting 48.3/35.8/75.8
Christian Braun 23-24 season 13.0/6.7/2.9 shooting 46.0/38.4/69.4

Christian Braun had Bruce Brawn's role and after the all-star break he was as good (if not better) in both O and D

per 36 stats, pre all-star break

Reggie Jackson 16.9/3.3/6.2 shooting 45.7/37.2/77.6

Reggie before all-star break was much better on O than Bruce was. After all-star break Reggie was terrible. We will see was it fatigue (played much more games and minutes than expected) or Reggie's inconsistency. Good thing is we don't need super Reggie for playoffs.

People don't undrestand how thin Nuggets bench was last year. Our 7th player was rookie Christian Braun. He scored 0 points in 4 games in WCF. Our 8th player and backup big was Jeff Green. He averaged 1.1 rebounds per 36 minutes in the finals.

Our biggest weakness is Zake Nnaji. He is a beckup big and had -11.9 net rating. Was realy, realy bad. We can avoid playing him using Aaron Gordon as backup C and Payton Watson at PF, but if we had to play him in case of injury it can be a problem.

Anyway Nuggets are better than last year, Jokic is a little bit better, Murray is much better, MPJ improved, same as bench, but
Boston is much better, Minnesota is much better, Dallas is much better, OKC is much better, Clippers are better, Phoenix is better New York is much better, 76ers are better than last year, so it will be interesting...

I think people forget Denver played a historically small rotation to win it all last year. It was the big 6, and then Braun (sometimes, for defense) and Green (sometimes, and he was awful). They are definitely deeper this year. Having that strong 6th guy is important though.

Biggest difference for Denver in the playoffs are rotations. All-bench lineup this season was better than last year but Malone is not going to use it in the playoffs. Jokic + bench can hold its own, Murray + bench can't. But in the playoffs it will be Jokic + starter + 3 bench players and Murray + 2 starters and 2 bench players, and it will be OK. I think we don't need one 6th guy to contribute this season as was Bruce last year. Anyone of Braun, Watson, Jackson or Holiday can be key contributor from the bench any given night and they will play more minutes with Jokic and Murray than in rs with one of them on the floor all the time. In the case of injury of Jokic or Murray or AG even KCP it will be hard. But even if all players are healthy looking how much other teams improved it will be bloodbath in the playoffs.

[zimpy27]

Denver is so thin...If one of their main guys gets hurt, that could be it for them. And I'm not even talking about Jokic or Murray.

If they don't run into any injuries, they'll probably be the favorites to win the west.

Lakers are thin too. Series could be decided by injury.

[Wolfgang630]

Some of the media members have a hard time. They want LA to win for the money. Many thought LA wouldn’t run into Denver until the WCF so it’s funny watching them squirm with their predictions. Stephen A somehow isn’t able to make a prediction on this series lol

[nbafan38]

Damn Lakers are only +250. Wanted to take them on a long shot, but the odds are meh. Kinda makes the upset feel more likely though.

I agree it's lower than I thought it would be although still the highest +odds of anyone in any playoff series as of now.

[nbafan38]

People are STILL unironically picking the Lakers? Why? Have you not been paying attention the past two years? This is the easiest matchup Denver could have gotten. They'll easily win this, like they have every other time they've played LA.

78% of this poll is picking Denver and 58% is picking Denver in 5 games or less unless you mean in the media?

[Donuts83]

series will come down to who executes late during the game and coaching. It's not really a talent issue in my opinion. That being said I think Denver takes it.

[darkse1d]

No rest for lebron/ad in between games at denver. I'm really surprised at the schedule considering lakers got the most last year in round 1. Lakers have to win Game 1 considering lebron/ad will be at their healthiest and well-rested, so i'm expecting both of them to go all out and try to win game 1 and relax game 2. Nuggets must be ready for hungry lakers.

[nbafan38]

No rest for lebron/ad in between games at denver. I'm really surprised at the schedule considering lakers got the most last year in round 1. Lakers have to win Game 1 considering lebron/ad will be at their healthiest and well-rested, so i'm expecting both of them to go all out and try to win game 1 and relax game 2. Nuggets must be ready for hungry lakers.

The lakers strategy last year seemed to be to steal game 1 and then kind of get to relax in game 2 and then win their home games. The problem is Denver is good enough to win at least 1 in LA so the lakers can't really take any games off in this series.

[nbafan38]

series will come down to who executes late during the game and coaching. It's not really a talent issue in my opinion. That being said I think Denver takes it.

Guess Denver is a lock then? lol

[bb22]

MPJ, AG and KCP are the difference between a close series and another sweep. AG’s size makes it more difficult for Lebron at this stage in his career.

Furthermore, Jokic absolutely ruins AD and Lakers backcourt can’t contain Jamal. They need heroic efforts from AR/DLo and AD to find a midrange game again to keep things alive.

This reminds me of SA vs Denver 2007. Denver had tons of talent that year, but ran into a well oiled Spurs juggernaut. Now the Nuggets are that dominant team that imposes their will and finds multiple ways to win games.

[VanWest82]

Lakers are incredibly deep and talented. They also have the refs which can't be ignored. That's like a 5 foul per game advantage right there. This series will be closer than people think.

[Wolfgang630]

Lakers are incredibly deep and talented. They also have the refs which can't be ignored. That's like a 5 foul per game advantage right there. This series will be closer than people think.

5 foul advantage lmao

[Jurassic_Park]

Damn Lakers are only +250. Wanted to take them on a long shot, but the odds are meh. Kinda makes the upset feel more likely though.

…lakers are +300 and are by far the largest underdog in terms of odds of any series in the playoffs.

[nbafan38]

I think Lakers win on of the first 2 games in Denver.. and it's going to scare people.

Between the weird free throw discrepancy the LeBroners...I mean Lakers have, and the fact that they haven't beaten Denver in 9 games, it's utterly assinine to assume Denver wins this series comfortably.

Worse case scenario for Denver.

I'm with you. LA is, without question, not a more sure thing in the world, is winning game one or two, and then winning game 3.

LA WILL 100% have a 2-1 series lead. I guarentee it.

Denver probably wins out, in 6 at that point.

Also wouldn't be surprised to see LA win in 5. Lebrons narrative is too strong.

Ok guess I should lay money on that right now.

[durden_tyler]

Series Handicap Odds

Nuggets -1.5 (if they win 4-2) 1.60
Nuggets -2.5 (4-1) 2.30
Nuggets -3:5 (sweep!) 5.75

So Vegas expectation is the Lakers *might* win a game or two.

But that sweep x5 is really tasty…


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Wolfgang630]

Nuggets not sweeping this year.

[Gregoire]

Nuggets in 5. Joker will annihilate old PEDs flopper LeBron again.