LeBron James and company have advanced to the playoffs, following their victory over the Pelicans in the Play-In tournament. The Lakers are set to face Nikola Jokic and the Nuggets in the first round. This will also be a rematch of last year’s Conference Finals. While the reigning champs have done pretty well this season, there is a lot of optimism around the Lakers to take the series.
The same comes after their dominant run at the end of the regular season. The Lakers went from the 9th seed to the 7th seed, winning most of their games following the All-Star break. However, NBA champion and Hall of Famer, Paul Pierce believes that the Lakers don’t stand a chance against the MVP’s squad.
I know you confidence in LeBron and AD... Nothing's gonna change, Denver is the Lakers daddy. They won eight in a row and they're gonna continue to win in Game 1... I truly believe that Denver will come out and make a statement in Game 1 and win by at least 15 points... They have no answer for Murray, they have no answer for Joker, and this home crowd is unbelievable once playoffs games start... I believe the Lakers are gonna go down. said Paul Pierce on Undisputed
The Nuggets have been equally dominant this year. Though the Lakers have the momentum coming into the postseason. One of the key factors that put the Lakers in a more competitive stand over the Nuggets is their healthy roster. Anthony Davis has been quite fit this year, playing the most games as a Laker so far in a season. However, this may not be enough to get the better of Denver.
LeBron James and the Lakers have history with the Nuggets
Back in the bubble, the Lakers dominated the Nuggets in the Conference Finals. Three years later, the Nuggets swept the squad in the third round and went on to win the championship. There has been a constant back and forth between the two in the past few years. However, looking at the current matchup, the Lakers might give Denver a tough time.
It’ll be a daunting task to guard the Joker as well as Jamal Murray. The two have been the scoring threat throughout the season. Other than that, Aaron Gordon and Michael Porter Jr. have also contributed a lot and will be key assets to look into for the Lakers.
It will be interesting to see how things play out in this series. The Lakers will look to extend the series this time. With all the factors in place, the men in purple and gold will have to ensure wins in home games to have a chance at the series.
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