PLAYOFF-2020 (Game#4, WCF): [3]Denver Nuggets vs [1]LA Lakers (1-2), THU 21:00ET

[THE J0KER]

The most famous NBA franchise LA Lakers are 43-1 in playoff series after taking a 2-0 lead, but now is 2-1, and Denver already doing some historically first things in this playoff. Winning game#4 will back this series at beginning, with some psychological advance in the Nuggets favor. What we should learn from game#3 win is that team should start to play in full force since the 1st quarter, not since 3rd, and how important is to take control of rebounds. If the Lakers don't have that Davis lucky shot at the end of game#2, the Nuggets chancea to beat Lakers and to win ring would be great already, but I would be happy with these chances after 2-2 too.

[skywalker33]

So, truly a Damned-If-You-Do Damned-If-You-Don't scenario for the Fakers. If they win Thursday they go up 3-1 and we all know how that turns out !! Lose and the series is tied with the momentum swinging toward our Nuggets! I kinda like it!

I do think the Nuggets tie this series up, the Fakers just look tired to me. Reminds me of the Rockies run to the World Series back in 2007, were just steamrolling teams but had to wait on BOS and came out flat. Fakers are deflating fast and LBJ is at the end of his run, he'll turn 36 in December, Merry Christmas!

[THE J0KER]

I also notice some elements of Lakers' fatigue yesterday too, but I guess it is just one single game. The Nuggets looked tired and flat game#1 vs Clippers and Lakers both but fast recovered. Coronavirus pause comes to the old Lakers like gift, then they used bubble seeding restart only like a practice session, and won Portland and Houston series fast in 5 both. And LeBron is phenom... sorry... but I expect to see Lakers 100% ready already tomorrow.

[NuggetsWY]

LAC seemed to think they were true contenders with their two superstars and now they seem to think they added too many new players together and didn't develop the right chemistry.

LAL think they are true contenders with their two superstars but do you think maybe they are starting to show signs of maybe having a little chemistry issue as well?

Perhaps two superstars with too many new players ...

[skywalker33]

LAC seemed to think they were true contenders with their two superstars and now they seem to think they added too many new players together and didn't develop the right chemistry.

LAL think they are true contenders with their two superstars but do you think maybe they are starting to show signs of maybe having a little chemistry issue as well?

Perhaps two superstars with too many new players ...

I think age is also affecting their performance, especially with LBJ. Denver's conditioning appears to be keeping us into the game having played two 7 game series in a row with little time in between. The Lakers looked fatigued last game, we need to keep an uptempo game and wear them down tonight.

[manchambo]

LAC seemed to think they were true contenders with their two superstars and now they seem to think they added too many new players together and didn't develop the right chemistry.

LAL think they are true contenders with their two superstars but do you think maybe they are starting to show signs of maybe having a little chemistry issue as well?

Perhaps two superstars with too many new players ...

I think age is also affecting their performance, especially with LBJ. Denver's conditioning appears to be keeping us into the game having played two 7 game series in a row with little time in between. The Lakers looked fatigued last game, we need to keep an uptempo game and wear them down tonight.

I would say the deciding factor last game was Murray still had the legs to hit two key 3 pointers and no one else did.

[NuggetsWY]

LAC seemed to think they were true contenders with their two superstars and now they seem to think they added too many new players together and didn't develop the right chemistry.

LAL think they are true contenders with their two superstars but do you think maybe they are starting to show signs of maybe having a little chemistry issue as well?

Perhaps two superstars with too many new players ...

I think age is also affecting their performance, especially with LBJ. Denver's conditioning appears to be keeping us into the game having played two 7 game series in a row with little time in between. The Lakers looked fatigued last game, we need to keep an uptempo game and wear them down tonight.

I would say the deciding factor last game was Murray still had the legs to hit two key 3 pointers and no one else did.

There were a couple of times where I wondered if Murray wasn't dragging too much and I'll admit I was concerned, but he didn't quit and he delivered.

[GQ Hot Dog]

I got slammed for pointing out how atrocious MPJ's defense is a couple games ago. Including by a mod who said my opinion wasn't shared on the Nuggets board.

I stand by what I said, a second year player, even one that was injured his first season, should be MUCH further along in understanding his responsibilities on defense. It's a real problem and if you need his offense to win, you might still lose because of his defense.

What's the opinion now?

PS. Don't attack me for making this observation. If you want to disagree, by all means, but don't be reflexively rude and defensive because it's obvious how bad he is.

Edit: BTW, it frustrates me because of how much I want the Nuggets to win this series. Eff the Lakers and eff Lebron!

[U hova]

he's crap on defense

we also won game 7s with them targeting him in halfcourt
At this point we gotta take what's on the table because the alternative is less stable.

[skywalker33]

I got slammed for pointing out how atrocious MPJ's defense is a couple games ago. Including by a mod who said my opinion wasn't shared on the Nuggets board.

I stand by what I said, a second year player, even one that was injured his first season, should be MUCH further along in understanding his responsibilities on defense. It's a real problem and if you need his offense to win, you might still lose because of his defense.

What's the opinion now?

PS. Don't attack me for making this observation. If you want to disagree, by all means, but don't be reflexively rude and defensive because it's obvious how bad he is.

Edit: BTW, it frustrates me because of how much I want the Nuggets to win this series. Eff the Lakers and eff Lebron!

Son, if you think you were SLAMMED, you may need to grow some thicker skin. I just pointed out how young of a player he was and how young players aren't normally defensive stalwarts, they need time to grow their game. And the mod came back to say maybe you could be a bit more respectful in another team's forum.... so if you'd like some tissues to cry in, please send us your address and we'll get you a box of tissues. If you want to come over here to bitch about MPJ, take it to the GB, sure you'll find someone who gives a **** !!!

[THE J0KER]

Another 1st half loss, but not in double-digit this time, 55-60 is acceptable.

Nuggets have much better FG% so far (23/39 59% vs 23/49 47%) but the Lakers have 5 rebounds and 5 steals more, and these 10 extra possessions made difference so far.

What's the opinion now?

MPJ is the worst defensive player on the planet only by an optical illusion because when he makes some mistake it comes from a high-school player in him who missed college career and not get enough playing time in this his rookie year. So his mistakes are always obvious and often even ridiculous. But his overall defensive influence is already rather positive than negative! Porter is the Nuggets player with the highest +/- this playoff for a reason with much better DRtg than anyone expected to see the due eye-test. Thanks to his very big size for an SF player and great rebounding skills, his presence gives Nuggets rebounding dominance to lineups where he is involved. That contributes to the Nuggets game and defense much more than all negativity from a few silly defensive mistakes which he delivers every game.

[skywalker33]

Surprise, LeTrash getting foul calls

[U hova]

nobody can score on lebron when he swats at elbows to no whistle

[skywalker33]

Just pathetic last 4 mins of the game, LeTrash got his whistles only against the Nuggets. Wonder how Silver sleeps at night No wonder rating are dropping.

[U hova]

Also, i might have missed a few minutes but MPJ did fine on Lebron... I feel as though LBJ has really taken a backseat and even when he hunts for MPJ in isolation he's just waiting for Plumlee behind him to do something dumb.

[skywalker33]

Might as well go put some money on Fakers to win the championship, it's in the bag. Professional wrestling is less obvious than this.

[JonK1522]

Officials didn't lose this game. Denver did. Rebounding wasn't there. Jokic wasn't 100% there. But..... the officials were still abysmal. Millsap foul on AD, missed call on LBJ, weak calls on Denver, no calls on Lakers. But point is. Denver will never get the benefit of the whistle and they have to fight through.

[skywalker33]

Officials didn't lose this game. Denver did. Rebounding wasn't there. Jokic wasn't 100% there. But..... the officials were still abysmal. Millsap foul on AD, missed call on LBJ, weak calls on Denver, no calls on Lakers. But point is. Denver will never get the benefit of the whistle and they have to fight through.

Refs CONTROLLED the game for LeTrash, don't kid yourself. The FIX IS IN !!

[GQ Hot Dog]

I got slammed for pointing out how atrocious MPJ's defense is a couple games ago. Including by a mod who said my opinion wasn't shared on the Nuggets board.

I stand by what I said, a second year player, even one that was injured his first season, should be MUCH further along in understanding his responsibilities on defense. It's a real problem and if you need his offense to win, you might still lose because of his defense.

What's the opinion now?

PS. Don't attack me for making this observation. If you want to disagree, by all means, but don't be reflexively rude and defensive because it's obvious how bad he is.

Edit: BTW, it frustrates me because of how much I want the Nuggets to win this series. Eff the Lakers and eff Lebron!

Son, if you think you were SLAMMED, you may need to grow some thicker skin. I just pointed out how young of a player he was and how young players aren't normally defensive stalwarts, they need time to grow their game. And the mod came back to say maybe you could be a bit more respectful in another team's forum.... so if you'd like some tissues to cry in, please send us your address and we'll get you a box of tissues. If you want to come over here to bitch about MPJ, take it to the GB, sure you'll find someone who gives a **** !!!

Look little fella, just try to be polite when someone points out what is objectively so obviously true. It's your home. Be a good host.

[THE J0KER]

Disappointing 16-7-4 performance from Joker in a game of this importance. But Malone unnecessary benched him early in 4th when he gets 5th foul, so when he is back he looked somehow broken and was scoreless in the 4th quarter 2nd time in the row which is disturbing to see.

Lakers won this game thanks to 12-6 dominance in offensive rebounds. We desperately needed rebounds and 3 points in the final quarter, but our genius coach benched our tonight best rebounder and 3pt shooter, limited his playing time on just 20 minutes despite he scored all of his last 5 shots (including 3 threes). Miami rookie Tyler Herro get yesterday 36 minutes from the bench and scored 37 points, under Malone he would not take more than 20-25 no matter how he plays. Porter is 20-11-3 this series PER-36 minutes, but his real playing time is 23 minutes per game despite monstrous 70%TS%, so his real numbers are 13-7-2.

Talking about Malone, I will give him credit to limiting Harris minutes tonight. In this Lakers series, he can't compensate with defense bad offense, so 1-5FG is enough to redirect many his minutes to Morris. Murray being 2020-PO-Murray again, and happy to see after playoff career-high in the previous game Grant stays offensively very good with 17 points.

Despite the Nuggets already made a sensational miracle with beating Utah and Clippers back-to-back after 1-3, this time 1-3 against a league-best team looks really hopeless to me. But beating the Lakers on Saturday will recover our hopes for sure.