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

[Sgt Major]

Targeting Jokic with high pick n rolls and make Murray switch on bigger bodies like LeBron, Rui will be key to wear them down.

Thanks, man, I feel a year younger reading this.

[FinnTheHuman]

It is good for the Nuggets and their future treatment by the league that they're playing the Lakers and not the Pelicans in the 1st round. Not many casuals would tune in to watch Nuggets-Pelicans series. Showcasing Jokic/Murray/MPJ/AG by having all the Laker fans and media eyes on them might make Nuggets more popular in the long run -> more profitable to the league.

Another thing on my mind is, Nuggets might get more respect from the league and the refs this time around because they're the reigning champions.

Last year no game would've been close if the refs didn't interfere with the outcome. It was the typical "gotta beat them by 15 to beat them by 2". I wasn't mad about that, I get that it's showbiz, but it is the truth.

But perhaps now the Nuggets are perceived as more of a good show, so they'll get treated better. And that might make this even a more convincing series win than last year.

[KyRo23]

Targeting Jokic with high pick n rolls and make Murray switch on bigger bodies like LeBron, Rui will be key to wear them down.

Thanks, man, I feel a year younger reading this.

Let him go, man

If we're just going to act like this is last year and we can't discuss anything in this series because Denver won, then what's even the point of the thread. I know you're joking, but I've seen this like 30 times in this thread already.

Denver fans gotta act like they've won before, damn

[Mavrelous]

Last PO run, Lakers had to choose between Schroeder defense but lack of shooting, and DLo shooting and lack of defense, if Gabe Vincent can shoot and defend well enough, that's a plus for them.

[BelgradeNugget]

Last PO run, Lakers had to choose between Schroeder defense but lack of shooting, and DLo shooting and lack of defense, if Gabe Vincent can shoot and defend well enough, that's a plus for them.

In the finals he couldn't shoot or defend. Just saying.
Nuggets in 6

[AleksandarN]

Los Angeles Sons**

[Exp0sed]

Nuggets will prevail, 5 games sounds about right to me but could go to 6 or a sweep
problem for them is they are going to have to exert alot of energy in this series and their main guys aren't a 100% healthy (well, no one is this time of the year but everything's relative). they are going to have play thir starters heavy mins to avoid this series being close (or getting out of hand) and get some actual rest before rd 2.

they really shot themselves in the foot in that Spurs debacle, like Zimpy said - they don't wanna meet the Lakers this early
the Nuggets have the best player and they are the superior team, however the series develops the Nuggets are very likely to come out on top, but against a veteran superstar's team, with this kind of national and international profile - they could have had easier series than this imo.

[Parasite]

It will be 5 on 8 out there but I think Denver still wins the series. The league is going to squeeze every last drop out of it though. Denver in 7

[Statlanta]

D'Angelo was clutch in the play-in can he have bigger confidence than last year when he was performing below his standards?

His play will decide how long this series goes.

I'm thinking it goes 5.

[Manimal]

D'Angelo was clutch in the play-in can he have bigger confidence than last year when he was performing below his standards?

His play will decide how long this series goes.

I'm thinking it goes 5.

The Nuggets no longer having Russell's daddy (Bruce Brown) will definitely be a big x-factor in this series. If D-Lo can have an impact this time around, that could be the difference.

[AussieCeltic]

Nuggets in 4 or 5.

Nuggets have won 8 in a row vs the Lakers and 11 of 15. So at this rate, Lakers would need 15 games to win 4.

Lakers were 26-29 vs teams over .500 this season and that’s with Lebron and AD being as healthy as you can ask.

Their defense is bad, their offense not much better. Their net rating is 19th and by far the worst of any playoff team. Ham is in the lower tier of coaches.

They’ve got Lebron so people will try say they’re better than they are, but I just don’t see it.

Maybe they steal a game, but Jokic is the best player in the league and Murray kicks it up a few gears in the playoffs.

[jc23]

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.

[nomansland]

The new media slogan now is the Lakers got the nuggets right where they want them with fresh Lebron and ad legs as if Denver has played 3 series already and aren’t fresh legs too lmao

I've been listening to too many NBA podcasts this week and nearly everyone is saying stuff like, "congrats Lakers, you just earned yourself a chance to get murdered by the Nuggets, lol." In fact their hubris is making me nervous. Hope the Nugs aren't listening to this stuff because they'll think they can coast.

Then again, these podcasts are by people who know basketball, not ESPN talking heads.

[JM00n69]

Watch on YouTube

Who's your daddy!!

Can't wait to see LAL get sonned again. Let's **** go and leave no doubt!

[canada_dry]

Nuggets in 5. 6 at most

I'm thinking lakers don't get swept again.

Sent from my SM-G960W using RealGM mobile app

[K9J]

For me it depends on how the series starts. If denver start 2-0 this will go to 4-1 even 4-0 like last year.

If lakers steal one and put 1-1 with lebron & davis 100% healthy and between all DLO, AR, Prince, Rui, SDinw or Gabe averaging at least 37% on threes for me lakers beat denver.

[PhilBlackson]

My guess is DEN in 6.

Part of it is that LeBron ran out of steam. He’s going to be better rested between games AND of course the league wants the Lakers in the spotlight as long as possible. In the end Jokic & Murray will be too clutch.

[jkvonny]

Weird how things work out. Lakers *win* their play-in game and are rewarded by playing a team who's beaten them 7 times in a row. If they lost and then won a hypothetically easier game, they'd have a much more favorable series ahead of them.

They wouldn't have beaten Sacramento.
The Kings own the Lakers.

[jkvonny]

Lakers could barely win vs a crunch time Zion less, Ingram less and cold CJ Pelicans team. Denver will wax them in short order once again.

I don’t think tonight’s game has any bearing one way or the other.

Just looking at the matchup they have the exact same flaws as last year and don’t have another big to throw at Joker.

Denver is a much better team than New Orleans.

[vincecarter4pres]

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.