Peregrine01 wrote:rk2023 wrote:Peregrine01 wrote:
I really think that if the Lakers weren't playing the Nuggets, they'd be favored against the rest of the west. The way that Lebron takes up his game several levels and the way that AD has played, they've looked like the second best team in the west in these playoffs. Looking at the rest of the west, I don't see any other team matching this level of physicality, intensity and high level execution like we've seen in the Lakers-Nuggets series.
Not MN
LAC / PHX maybe
OKC DAL they beat
I don’t think Minny executes well enough on offense to beat these Lakers presuming Bron can keep playing at the pace he’s playing at now.
While I am with you there, I further think that they have a size and athleticism gap (shows in rebounding amongst other factors) that poses LA problems - akin to how Denver has plenty the last 9 games Bron / AD have faced them. They also have defensive personnel to fatigue Bron like how Denver has to an extent (no altitude nor offensive gauntlet to eat up a ton of stamina on defense though).
Of course they don’t have someone who can play Rui off like the combo of MPJ / Joker has to start this series.