LeBron James sends strong message after Lakers' Game 1 loss to Nuggets

The Los Angeles Lakers came out in Game 1 of the NBA Western Conference Finals against the Denver Nuggets and looked like the polar opposite of the team fans saw just days earlier. 

The Lakers had impressive energy and looked like the best team in the series during their dominant Game 6 win over the Golden State Warriors.

Game 1 had the opposite feeling in the first half, as the Lakers looked to nearly be out of the game entirely after falling behind 72-54 at halftime. But thanks to some key adjustments and a strong run in the second half, the Lakers nearly completed an impressive comeback, falling 132-126.

After the game, Lakers players and coaches had plenty to say, but interestingly, neither of the team's two primary leaders appeared too concerned about the Game 1 loss. 

As The Athletic's Jovan Buha revealed, LeBron James stated that the Lakers didn't play up to their "capabilities in the first half" and cited the fact the Nuggets made tough shots.

“We’ll be better,” James said. “We know we didn’t play up to our capabilities in the first half. … They were just making some shots with hands in their faces, bodies on bodies. But we’ll be better in Game 2, that’s for sure.”

It's a statement that points to a strong belief that the Lakers still feel good about their outlook in this series, and rightfully so. Even putting aside the rough first half, head coach Darvin Ham echoed a similar but more direct statement, as Buha detailed.

“We’ll be OK,” Ham said. “Trust me.”

Considering the first half looked like a team completely overmatched, it was impressive seeing the second-half adjustments made by Ham and the Lakers. Assuming they can find a way to hold Nikola Jokic in check (as much as that's possible), LeBron and company, have the outlook of a team capable of pulling the upset and advancing to the NBA Finals.