PLAYOFF-2020 (Game#1, WCF): [3]Denver Nuggets vs [1]LA Lakers (0-0), FRI 21:00ET

Post #1 » by **THE J0KER** » Wed Sep 16, 2020 8:34 am

I expect to see the Lakers starting lineup which they played against Portland, not lately with Houston, so McGee instead M.Morris. I guess Malone will stay with the current tall starting lineup (Lakers will be very tall too), even if Barton is back.

During bubble seeding games I wanted Nuggets to be #3 or #2 seed and to escape Lakers before WCF for two reasons. I have no idea we can annihilate Clippers famous bench duo, nor that Clippers team will implode under pressure every 2nd half of elimination games. What was I sure is that Paul George is not level of LBJ, AD, and Kawhi, and Lakers have some defensive answers for Jokic and Murray both, while Clippers have no tools to stop Joker.

I have big expectations of this series, but not too much from upcoming game#1. When fresh Clippers destroyed empty Nuggets in game#1 I ignored that game without any problem no matter how ugly was that blowout loss. But please note that this time team has not one but two days to rest, and there is big pressure on Nuggets to beat Jazz, unlike vs Clippers where we are underdogs. So I'm still not ready to write-off Nuggets in this game#1 despite circumstances are clearly in Lakers favor for this game because just closed marathon with Clippers.

Post #2 » by **NuggetsWY** » Wed Sep 16, 2020 5:50 pm

The game plan will be interesting. Without a doubt, the Lakers will be playing their true centers against Jokic - I'm okay with that. Who are we going to have as the primary defender on Davis? What's going to be the scheme to slow down LeBron? Who are they going to use as the primary defender on Murray?

Hopefully our forwards and Harris and Morris make regular contributions.

cowhideglobe · Post #3 » by **cowhideglobe** » Wed Sep 16, 2020 10:26 pm

Hats off and much respect to the Nuggets. As a Jazz fan, I hate the Nuggets but I hate the Clippers and Lakers much, much more. Best of luck!

skywalker33 · Post #4 » by **skywalker33** » Wed Sep 16, 2020 11:45 pm

I am hoping this team remembers the bubble game between us and the Fakers and how they erupted when Kuzma's last-minute three-pointer help win ...vs. our 2nd/3rd teamers. They had LBJ and AD playing well into the 4th qtr and BARELY beat us when we were sitting our starter....they're BEATABLE !!!

Alatan · Post #5 » by **Alatan** » Thu Sep 17, 2020 11:14 am

If the Lakers play their centers alongside AD and LBG the spacing will be terrible. I welcome such a move since i think that the key to wining against LA is to make their guards beat us from the arc. If they play two bigs we can easily clog the pain and double anyone who has the ball. Make them pass out and then chase the shooters of the line.

Im much more woried if they put AD on Jokic 1x1 and try to play uptemo. AD has the phisical tools to slow down Jokic and can be deadly in space. We need to make it a tough slow grind of a game and hope Kuzma, KCP and Rondo remember they are bad shooters.

Manolito · Post #6 » by **Manolito** » Thu Sep 17, 2020 4:06 pm

I think our home game in February is the closest reference to this series:

https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/202002120DEN.html

It was very close, although Lakers size killed Jokic that game and he took very poor decisions at the end. Howard made a great job that day, he is going to be important this series. We have to add MPJ to that roster (Barton did not play), we still have some room for improvement.

BTW, Daniels spent six months with the Lakers. I hope he can provide good insight regarding his former team mates

antonac · Post #7 » by **antonac** » Fri Sep 18, 2020 9:54 am

Manolito wrote:I think our home game in February is the closest reference to this series:

https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/202002120DEN.html

It was very close, although Lakers size killed Jokic that game and he took very poor decisions at the end. Howard made a great job that day, he is going to be important this series. We have to add MPJ to that roster (Barton did not play), we still have some room for improvement.

BTW, Daniels spent six months with the Lakers. I hope he can provide good insight regarding his former team mates

This is not a tactical ploy but a mental one, but if Howard attempts to rough Jokic up like he did in previous games I think we should respond in kind against Davis. The Lakers only see the Nuggets as an obstacle, but if they want to play nasty then they should know they might be putting their famously fragile second star in jeopardy. wouldn't be the worst thing for us if a hard foul against Jokic is followed by someone almost landing on Davis' knee. It at least keeps them a bit more honest.

Post #8 » by **NuggetsWY** » Fri Sep 18, 2020 12:25 pm

antonac wrote:
Manolito wrote:I think our home game in February is the closest reference to this series:

https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/202002120DEN.html

It was very close, although Lakers size killed Jokic that game and he took very poor decisions at the end. Howard made a great job that day, he is going to be important this series. We have to add MPJ to that roster (Barton did not play), we still have some room for improvement.

BTW, Daniels spent six months with the Lakers. I hope he can provide good insight regarding his former team mates

This is not a tactical ploy but a mental one, but if Howard attempts to rough Jokic up like he did in previous games I think we should respond in kind against Davis. The Lakers only see the Nuggets as an obstacle, but if they want to play nasty then they should know they might be putting their famously fragile second star in jeopardy. wouldn't be the worst thing for us if a hard foul against Jokic is followed by someone almost landing on Davis' knee. It at least keeps them a bit more honest.

Millsap seems like the only Nugget likely to implement your strategy - I have long advocated that we acquire at least one player that plays with more attitude.

Post #9 » by **THE J0KER** » Sat Sep 19, 2020 1:06 am

Post #10 » by **The Rebel** » Sat Sep 19, 2020 2:26 am

Sure looks like the fix is in, Nuggets cannot touch a Laker but they are mugging us. 3 fouls on Jokic, Murray, and Millsap with 3 fouls at the half and the Lakers having 32 free throws at the half. Our boys need to figure out how to overcome this **** because it will happen this entire series.

Post #11 » by **THE J0KER** » Sat Sep 19, 2020 2:31 am

At the moment it seems it will be a copycat of game#1 vs Clippers when Denver collapse in the 2nd quarter after a tied 1st quarter. But after 1-17 start and Jokic/Murray/Millsap benched because of 3 fouls each, the Nuggets still find the way to make halftime result active. Unfortunately, MPJ has a very bad shooting half with 0-4 for three, otherwise, Nuggets will finish with an even better result than -11. Jokic and Murray were good but with limited minutes because their status in officials' eyes was obviously way under LeBron and Davis, so half of these 3+3 fouls are ridiculous. But the Lakers 70 points on halftime (with 10 missed FT's!) are way too much, we need much better defense than that.

skywalker33 · Post #12 » by **skywalker33** » Sat Sep 19, 2020 2:38 am

Lack of focus in that 2nd qtr, GHarris and MPJ need to step up in this game if we want to win. Agree with Joker, very similar to what we got used to in the LAC series.

U hova · Post #13 » by **U hova** » Sat Sep 19, 2020 4:06 am

There's a bunch that needs to be worked on, but if this is how they're calling the series it won't matter. They didn't even need to interfere after they kicked Jokic and Murray out early.

Post #14 » by **THE J0KER** » Sat Sep 19, 2020 4:26 am

It is not that bad like it seems, fact that Malone doesn't want to back Jokic and Murray in the game after a timeout at 8 minutes before the end of the game at relatively still active -17 result tells that they desperately need some rest after the marathon Clippers series, so we would lose this game against rested and motivated Lakers anyway. A 1-17 run in the 2nd quarter and 4-16 in 3rd was fatal for Nuggets tonight.

Jokic and Murray will perform well in this series, but that will not be enough even with HoF level, because these Lakers are on a mission with two all-NBA first-team players 100% focused on the ring since the very first day of the season and with teammates like Howard, Rondo, and Kuzma also very motivated to get that ring. Unfortunately, the Lakers have no such player like Utah and Clippers on which we can maximize Harris defensive talent, and Millsap which was 4 years ago part of the NBA all-defensive team today at 35 is not effective against someone like AD. We need height in this matchup and 3rd offensive option so I hope 28 minutes for MPJ tonight is not because starters minutes are limited. His double-double is damaged by 1-6 3pt shooting, but his 4 assists look very intrigue. Talking about assists, for me the key today stats are AST/TO with the Lakers have 33/11 and the Nuggets 23/16. Also, hustle plays tells how energy is tonight in the Lakers favor with STL/BLK 10/6 but just 3/2 for Nuggets.

skywalker33 · Post #15 » by **skywalker33** » Sat Sep 19, 2020 4:39 am

The Rebel wrote:Sure looks like the fix is in, Nuggets cannot touch a Laker but they are mugging us. 3 fouls on Jokic, Murray, and Millsap with 3 fouls at the half and the Lakers having 32 free throws at the half. Our boys need to figure out how to overcome this **** because it will happen this entire series.

As I said, the refs are on the side of the Los Angles LBJ's, pathetic racket IMO. Wonder what LeTrash promised the league ??

Post #16 » by **The Rebel** » Sat Sep 19, 2020 11:55 am

skywalker33 wrote:
The Rebel wrote:Sure looks like the fix is in, Nuggets cannot touch a Laker but they are mugging us. 3 fouls on Jokic, Murray, and Millsap with 3 fouls at the half and the Lakers having 32 free throws at the half. Our boys need to figure out how to overcome this **** because it will happen this entire series.

As I said, the refs are on the side of the Los Angles LBJ's, pathetic racket IMO. Wonder what LeTrash promised the league ??

I think most of us knew it was coming, I just never thought it would be that blatant.

SkillzFromThe6 · Post #17 » by **SkillzFromThe6** » Sat Sep 19, 2020 5:40 pm

The Rebel wrote:
skywalker33 wrote:
The Rebel wrote:Sure looks like the fix is in, Nuggets cannot touch a Laker but they are mugging us. 3 fouls on Jokic, Murray, and Millsap with 3 fouls at the half and the Lakers having 32 free throws at the half. Our boys need to figure out how to overcome this **** because it will happen this entire series.

As I said, the refs are on the side of the Los Angles LBJ's, pathetic racket IMO. Wonder what LeTrash promised the league ??

I think most of us knew it was coming, I just never thought it would be that blatant.

Facts. It was rough to watch. If Nuggets are going to lose at least let it be fair game.