If the Denver Nuggets manage to maintain their dominance in the ball arena, they will not only defeat LeBron James and Anthony Davis, but also the ghost of their terrible performance against the Los Angeles Lakers after the season.
The Nuggets have lost all seven of their playoff series against the Lakers in their history, including one played in the NBA bubble in 2020.
The two clubs will meet again for the fourth time in the Western Conference Finals starting Tuesday night in Denver. The Nuggets are 40-7 at home – best in the NBA – and have won all six of their playoff games at the ball arena.
Coach Darwin Hamm, who was in his first season with the Lakers, said, “It’s probably one of the best spots we have in the league for a home team.” “Your crowd is going to be hanging on their feet, in their seats, tapping and screaming.”
After a lively practice Monday, Nuggets coach Michael Malone refrained from commenting on Denver’s dismal 8-25 record against the Lakers in the post-season.
The Lakers have won the NBA championship every time they defeated the Nuggets in the Western Conference series – in 2020, 2009 and 1985 – and have defeated Denver in the opening round a few more times.
“Getting to the NBA Finals is important,” Malone said. “The fact that it’s about the Lakers will probably make the series that much more special for a lot of our fans and it will add to the excitement and craziness in the ball arena, so we agree.”
While both teams like to push the pace, it may be more difficult for the Lakers, who are not used to playing at Denver’s altitude.
However, the Nuggets’ superstar, Serbian Nikola Jokic, denies that Denver’s rarified air favors the team’s effectiveness.
“We think it’s because of us,” Jokic said. “We don’t think it’s because of the altitude.”
Be that as it may, Jokic said the Lakers won their first road games against Memphis and Golden State in the opening two rounds of the season. “We hope that doesn’t happen here,” he said.
Jokic refrained from mentioning any lessons from the previous matchup between the two teams that could help the Nuggets this time around. “To be honest, none,” he said. “I do not remember”:
But James remembers well and this time sees a more formidable opponent in the form of Jamal Murray and Jokic, who has quickly solidified his status as the best offensive dumbbell now that Murray is out in 2021 with a torn ACL. have come back from
