Nikola Jokic has shown a lot of respect for the Los Angeles Lakers ahead of their first-round matchup in the 2024 Playoffs. Jokic and the Nuggets swept them in the 2023 playoff and 23-24 regular season, but Jokic credits them as one of their toughest opponents.
"I think every game in the playoff series was really tough, it could have gone either way. It was probably the toughest series we had. Yes, we beat them 4-0, but they're a really talented team. Well-built, they have a couple of guys. I have huge respect for them and I think it'll be an interesting series/round."
Jokic also heaped praise specifically onto LeBron James, as Jokic is enthralled by what James continues to achieve in his Year 21 season.
"The guy is amazing. The things he's doing on the court are really... He's in the game in so many different ways, not just scoring. He can score from any position basically. He's a monster. I really appreciate him. I really respect him. I think he's a very good basketball player, probably one of the best. I really respect him and enjoy playing against the best."
Jokic averaged 27.8 points, 14.5 rebounds, and 11.8 assists in the 2023 Playoffs against the Lakers, improving his scoring to 29.3 points, 12.0 rebounds, and 9.0 assists in their three wins over LA this season.
If history indicates anything, it's that the Nuggets are heavy favorites but Jokic won't take any comfort in that fact while heading into a series against LeBron and Anthony Davis.
Both Teams Are Prepared For This High-Intensity Rematch
The Lakers are thirsting for revenge while the Nuggets have yet another chance to hand an embarrassing loss to LeBron and the Lakers. Coach Michael Malone commented on this matchup and made it clear that the Nuggets know what to do given what they've achieved against them in the last 12 months.
“We swept them last year. We swept them this year. They come in playing really well and hungry. They want to flip that script. Our players understand that... We know them, they know us. We know what to expect.”
LeBron James broke down the series after the Lakers secured the No. 8 seed, praising various facets of the team from Jokic and Jamal Murray to their coaching, and their overall roster.
"It's the defending champions. They know what it takes. They know how to win. They've been extremely dominant on their home floor. ... They got an MVP on their team. They got a closer on their team. They got a hell of a coach. We have to play mistake-free basketball to make it tough on team, they're gonna try to make it tough on us obviously. But we're gonna play the greatest game we can play, they're gonna play the greatest game they can play and it's gonna come down to one or two possessions and we'll see who executes then."
Both teams would meet extremely disappointing ends to the season with a loss here, so both will be motivated to maximize a positive result. While Denver has the edge, the Lakers could eliminate any team if they're peaking at the right time. If they can somehow eliminate the Nuggets, they'd become championship favorites.
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