A rematch of the 2023 NBA Western Conference Finals kicks off on Saturday evening between the Denver Nuggets and Los Angeles Lakers, but that is not the only interesting storyline in this series.
After the Lakers defeated the New Orleans Pelicans on Tuesday in the Play-In Tournament, fans offered their thoughts on the matchup, putting forth a variety of narratives.
1. Which D'Angelo Russell will show up for the Lakers?
The good, the bad, and the ugly of Russell have all been displayed during his tenure with the Lakers. Which Russell will show up during the playoffs?
I love when lakers forget that y'all players are in consistent af. AD might show up but Dlo wont. Also Dever has one of the most consistent players. That was the same situation as the year they swept y'all. Nuggets in 5.
— El Stefano (@Nike12382689903) April 17, 2024
Russell did not show up in last year’s Conference Finals matchup, averaging 6.3 points and 3.5 assists on 32.3% shooting in 23.5 minutes of action. The Lakers need Russell to catch fire in order to upset the reigning-champion Nuggets.
Jamal Murray elevates his game in the playoffs and won't be an easy assignment for Russell. During last year's series, Murray led both teams in scoring, averaging 32.5 points, 5.3 assists and 2.8 steals on 52.7% shooting in the sweep. If Murray is shining once again, it's possible the former All-Star guard will see a decrease in playing time.
D-Lo will get thrown on the bench the moment his defense gets exposed
— Bo Richmond (@richmond_bo) April 17, 2024
Despite Russell’s best nights directly resulting in wins for Los Angeles, his poor outings hurt the team. Perhaps the most realistic expectation for Russell is this: he will either put major pressure on the Nuggets or force Lakers coach Darvin Ham into tough decisions.
Lakers in 6 with this version of Dlo.
— FADE (@FadeAwayMedia) April 17, 2024
Nikola Jokic vs. Anthony Davis is the matchup to watch
The battle between Jokić’s offense and Anthony Davis' lockdown defense is something to keep a close eye on.
Despite Davis making four All-Defensive Teams in his career, slowing down Jokić is more than a one-man job.
They key in this series is Rui and AD to bother constantly jokic and limit his passes. If jokic gets the best of those 2 guys, it would be a piece of cake for denver
— DN (@DN66191085) April 17, 2024
It’s near impossible to stop Jokić from scoring at a high level, but preventing him from playmaking and getting his teammates easy buckets could make a major difference.
Denver’s offense tends to struggle more than usual when Jokić isn't providing open looks for Murray and Michael Porter Jr., which would provide an opening for the Lakers. Jokić averaged an impressive 11.8 assists on 15 total turnovers in last year's Western Conference Finals.
How will the Lakers stop the Nuggets' Big Three?
Jokic, Murray and Porter were near unstoppable on the road to Denver's title, and the Lakers don’t look like the team who can contain the trio. They allowed Zion Williamson to tally 40 points, 11 rebounds, and 5 assists on 63% shooting during Tuesday's Play-In Game before he got hurt in the final minutes.
ion know how Lakers fans could watch that game and have any confidence at all against Denver needing Zion getting hurt to not choke even with the best whistle in the league
— King 🇺🇸🇦🇹 (@KingPhilip30) April 17, 2024
The Lakers finished the regular season as the No. 17-ranked defensive unit, allowing 112.8 points per 100 possessions. Meanwhile, Denver had the NBA's No. 6-ranked offense, scoring 115.6 points per 100 possessions.
In the Lakers' three regular-season games against the Nuggets, Denver scored 124, 119 and 114 points.
