There was a faint hope going into Game 1 of their first-round playoff series against the Denver Nuggets that the Los Angeles Lakers would be able to reverse a recent trend of ineptitude versus Nikola Jokić’s team. Instead, they fell 114-103 in much the same manner they did when they were swept by Denver in last year’s Western Conference Finals.
A Denver run in the third quarter wiped out what had been a 12-point lead for Los Angeles. Then in the fourth quarter, Denver went on another spurt that effectively buried LeBron James and crew.
The Lakers still have an immense opportunity to change the complexion of this series with a victory in Game 2 on Monday. But for that to happen, they will need to improve in these three areas.
D’Angelo Russell needs to play up to his standards
This is Captain Obvious territory, but Russell is the Lakers’ barometer. He has mostly played very well over the last three months, but in Game 1 on Saturday, he shrunk like a cotton T-shirt in hot water.
He shot just 6-of-20 overall and 1-of-9 from 3-point range, and he was the only Lakers play to shoot under 50% from the field. His high number of shot attempts was a good sign, as he attempted just 7.8 shots a game in last year’s series versus the Nuggets, but he has to hit a good number of them.
Russell hit an outstanding 41.5% from downtown, which was a career-high, during the regular season. If he rediscovers that type of marksmanship in Game 2, Los Angeles can win. If he doesn’t, it will likely lose this series in a hurry.
The Lakers need to rebound and run
Former Lakers head coach Pat Riley had a saying back in the day: No rebounds, no rings. That has been true for the Lakers in their nine straight losses to the Nuggets, as they have gotten outrebounded by the Nuggets in the majority of those games.
In particular, Los Angeles needs to limit the Nuggets’ offensive rebounding. In Game 1, they had 15 offensive boards, which led to 18 second-chance points.
Los Angeles did a good job of getting out in transition in the first quarter on Saturday, but its fast break almost disappeared afterward. By limiting the Nuggets to one shot, it will be able to get more transition opportunities on a consistent basis. Denver outscored the Lakers 21-14 in fast-break points in Game 1, even though the Lakers were third in fast-break points in the regular season.
The Lakers need better poise and composure
Over the last 12 months or so, when the Nuggets have gone on a run against the Lakers, the Lakers have seemingly become rattled. Their ball movement and player movement decrease, their shot selection becomes questionable and they tend to commit unforced turnovers.
When Denver goes on a run against them, they need to take a deep breath and make sure they get a score to stop the bleeding. They cannot afford to compound their errors in such situations.
In six of their nine straight losses to Denver, the Lakers have been on the wrong end of at least one second-half spurt. That is perhaps the biggest thing that needs to change for them.