Saturday's Game 1 in Denver was undoubtedly disappointing, and once again put in stark relief the challenge facing the Lakers against the team most experts expect to represent the West in the NBA Finals this year.
It also makes tonight's Game 2 a must-win, because the odds of this Lakers team showing enough high-end consistency to beat the Nuggets four times in five tries feels... unrealistic. So it's about breaking through tonight, and proving to themselves as much as everyone else that it's possible for the Los Angeles Lakers to beat the Denver Nuggets. So what has to get better? For starters, the offense has to function much more efficiently throughout the game. No minutes-long stretches where the shot selection is bad or turnovers throw the offense off kilter, or playcalling and structure go the way of the dodo. Because the Lakers lost that game offensively, not on D.
Next, the best players on the team simply have to be better. Save Anthony Davis, more or less, everyone else has stuff that needs to improve. Obviously D'Angelo Russell's efficiency has to go way up. But Austin Reaves and Rui Hachimura have to be better. LeBron James needs to be a bigger presence in the fourth quarter. Bench players need to shoot.
The Lakers have played Denver tight for long stretches over this losing streak. But time has run out on finding a way to win. It's gotta happen tonight.
Meanwhile, Anthony Davis is not a finalist for Defensive Player of the Year. Lakers fans are ticked, and ought to be. But it's reflective of the ways in which the bar moves for Davis. At this point, it's fair to say that whatever he does for whatever he might be given credit for, it's not going to be enough.
HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky
SEGMENT 1: What the Lakers need to fix in Game 2.
SEGMENT 2: Darvin steps in it, again. Plus, pick it up, Russell!!!
SEGMENT 3: Why wasn't Anthony Davis a finalist for DPOY?
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