Lakers running out of time to get revenge for Nuggets' trash talk
Before the season, Anthony Davis said he "couldn't wait" to play Denver again after their trash talk. Down 3-0, he and the Lakers are running out of time to get back at the Nuggets.
The narrative at the Lakers' preseason media day was all about how Denver had done "a lot of talking" and that Davis and LeBron James were excited to play the Nuggets again. Presumably, they also wanted to beat the Nuggets, but so far in the 2023-24 season, that hasn't been in the cards for them.
They lost the season opener in Denver, 119-107. Then they lost two games to the Nuggets in Los Angeles, 114-106 and 124-114. Then the Lakers dropped the first three games of their first-round series, despite leading at halftime in all three games.
It's not clear whether the Lakers were talking about on-court trash talk or something Nuggets players or coaches said in the media. It may have been head coach Michael Malone, who jawed at the Lakers during the series and made fun of James claiming he was "thinking about retirement" following the Nuggets' sweep last year.
But after so much buildup, the Lakers' response hasn't been strong. They've now lost 11 in a row, which makes you wonder how badly they'd play if they weren't motivated.
LA head coach Darvin Ham commented on the trash talk last summer, declaring on the "This League Uncut" podcast that "This s--- ain't over." In one more game, this series might be.
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