As the game slipped away from the Los Angeles Lakers in the fourth quarter, Anthony Davis was slumped with his hands on his knees and LeBron James allowed Nikola Jokic to slip past and drive towards the net.
Their superstars were exhausted after giving everything, with James scoring 27 and assisting eight and Davis grabbing 32 points and 14 rebounds.
James turned back the clock with another impressive postseason performance and Davis was on top form. but the Lakers were still outclassed 114-103 by the Denver Nuggets.
The reigning NBA champions were behind at halftime, and the Lakers were feeling a huge win away in Denver to swing the series in their favor.
But just like last season the Nuggets relied on their secondary and had the stamina to push on, while the Lakers gassed out and felt the impact of an aging roster.
James is nearing 40, Davis is only 31 but has a history of fitness issues, and the desperation from D’Angelo Russell towards the end summed up an empty Los Angeles gas tank.
James is keen on winning another NBA championship before eventually retiring, but unless the Lakers can find another gear in this series, he may have to look elsewhere in the offseason.
on Gordon, Jamaal Murray, the Denver heroes from last season all made the Lakers pay.
While they were second-best in the first half their energy became too much to handle for Los Angeles.
The talented Michael Porter Jr. also had a game to remember, and James looked intimidated when he stepped off the court.
“It’s a big team. They got a big front court in MPJ, Joker, and Aaron Gordon,” James said after the game. “We just gotta do a better job of trying to get hits and collectively rebound the defensive glass.”
The Lakers may have realized with a minute to go in the fourth that the game was done, but the body language from their biggest stars was concerning.
Russell had the opportunity to assist their efforts and keep them in the game but missed 13 of his final 16 shot attempts.
He still scored 13 points on the night, but mentally he checked out during the later stages.
“I mean, I can’t be mad,” Russell said. “I don’t recall the last time I got 20 shots. So for me to get 20 good looks — not 20 ‘good,’ probably five or six of them were questionable.
“I know what I’m capable of. So honestly, I’m excited. I’m excited about that.” Lakers head coach Darvin Ham was also positive despite a big missed opportunity and refused to pin any blame on Russell, instead encouraging him to keep going.
“D-Lo is a huge reason why we’re here in the first place,” Lakers coach Darvin Ham said.
“I’m not going to bail out on my player just because he’s missing the shots that he normally makes.
So same shots were going in against New Orleans [in the play-in tournament] and other games that he’s played in to help us get to this point. So it just wasn’t his night.”
News
NBA – The Lakers’ risky bet to attract a third star: “He wants a team…
NBA (DR) The objectives of the season having not been achieved, the leaders of the Lakers are currently increasing discussions internally and with competing franchises. Thus, rumors about the recruitment of a new star are circulating, even if the negotiations…
WNBA – In the midst of controversy, huge breakdown live on Caitlin Clark: “A White woman who…
Hawk Central (DR) Having just arrived in the WNBA as a phenomenon, Caitlin Clark is already linked to multiple controversies. And as if that wasn’t enough, a former US football star completely broke down on live TV when discussing his…
NBA – Bronny James to the Lakers with LeBron? A caption decides: “He still has a lot…
Fadeaway World (DR) / NBA (DR) Two weeks before the Draft, the potential arrival of Bronny James alongside his father LeBron with the Lakers is still debated. A franchise legend recently spoke about the prospect’s chances of landing in California….
Caitlin Clark Had The Coolest Reaction To Being Called A “White B****” By Pat McAfee
Caitlin Clark and Pat McAfee (Photos via Getty Images) Caitlin Clark has offered a reaction to being called a “White B-” by Pat McAfee, according to Pat Mcafee himself. The ESPN show host crossed a line on Monday when he referred to Clark as…
LeBron James Dropped A Very Interesting Comparison Between Himself And Caitlin Clark That Actually Makes A Ton Of Sense
LeBron James and Caitlin Clark (Photos via Getty Images) LeBron James understands firsthand the challenges that come with being a top-tier athlete facing racism and scrutiny. His own journey from a challenging background to becoming the No. 1 overall NBA draft…
Paris Olympics: LeBron James IG Post Causes Tremors , fans yearn for miracles to happen: “It’s coming…”
LeBron James will be returning to the court sooner than expected. Only this time, he will be representing his country at the Paris Olympics. It was less than a year ago when Team USA could surprisingly only secure the 4th rank at…
End of content
No more pages to load