Denver Nuggets ahead Michael Porter Jr. (1) goes as much as shoot in entrance of Lakers ahead Anthony Davis (3) through the Sport 1 of their first-round playoff collection Saturday in Denver.
(Jack Dempsey / Related Press)
One of many easiest methods the Lakers may flip round their destiny from their multi-season struggles with the Denver could be for LeBron James and Anthony Davis, collectively, to out-play Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray.
Saturday in Sport 1, the Lakers’ stars mixed for 59 factors on 56.4% capturing from the sphere whereas grabbing 20 rebounds and dispensing 13 assists. Jokic and Murray? They’d 54 on 51% capturing, 18 rebounds and 17 assists.
However the edge to the Lakers, albeit statistically slight, certain didn’t really feel like a bonus by the tip of Sport 1.
Possibly it was seven James turnovers (and two from Davis), the precise sorts of errors a workforce can’t make when dealing with a machine just like the Nuggets. Possibly it was Davis’ heavy legs in transition after 45 minutes whereas Jokic ran baseline to baseline.
And Jokic and Murray dedicated only one turnover between them, the 2 gamers who contact it most for Denver valuing the ball in methods the Lakers couldn’t overcome.
Whereas Davis and James had been good, they, like just about everybody who performed for the Lakers, weren’t ok.
“I’ve by no means performed on the championship workforce and didn’t take note of element,” James mentioned after the loss. “There’s no ifs, ands our buts about it. It’s important to.”
