Lakers vs. Nuggets: Western Conference Finals feature same big names as 2020, but some notable differences

The Los Angeles Lakers and Denver Nuggets are due to face each other in the Western Conference Finals on Tuesday, but if you’re feeling a little déjà vu, that’s because the two teams will meet in the Conference Finals in 2020. Because NBA Orlando decided to resume the season after being suspended due to the coronavirus pandemic, but the Nuggets and Lakers battled it out in five games, helping LA win the series and eventually defeating the Miami Heat in the NBA Finals. broke the

Interestingly enough, the Eastern Conference Finals is also a rematch of the 2020 bubble between the Heat and the Celtics, so there’s a real Groundhog Day happening in the NBA right now. But while it’s natural for him to compare the two conferences when trying to draw conclusions about what we’re about to see, it’s unlikely that the differences will outweigh the similarities in this upcoming series. it is clear.

First, there are only a handful of players who are the same on both teams. LeBron James and Anthony Davis are the only two players left from the Lakers’ 2020 champion team, but Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray and Michael are left from the last postseason Denver-Los Angeles matchup. Only Porter Jr.

While the most obvious difference between now and the 2020 Western Conference Finals is the composition of the roster, there are some key things that could shape this series. With that in mind, as we prepare for the Lakers and Nuggets to face off again, here are some of the key similarities and differences between the bubble matchup and the game we’re about to witness in the 2023 Western Conference Finals. Let’s analyze five.

1. Davis should rule like in 2020

The most compelling matchup of the series will be between Davis and Jokic. In 2020, Davis completely dominated the Nuggets, but the Nuggets didn’t have the right answers to try to stop him. With limited frontcourt options, Davis averaged a team-high 31.2 points, 6.2 rebounds and 54.3 percent field goal percentage over five games. Oh, and he also hit the buzzer-beating 3-pointer in Game 2 of that series to give the Lakers a commanding 2-0 lead.

Had Davis not hit that 3-point shot, the Nuggets would have tied the series one game each, and the outcome might not have been the same as Los Angeles’ sweep of Denver.

The bad news for the Nuggets is that they may run into the same problem as they try to contain AD again. With Aaron Gordon likely tasked with guarding LeBron James for the entire series, Denver doesn’t have any other quality forwards or centers to stop Davis from getting what he wants. Jokic tries to torment Davis, but he’s not a good defender to make that much impact.

If the Nuggets try to send Davis a help defense, he’s a passer with a high IQ and will find an open man with a backdoor cut to the rim or a dishout to the perimeter. With the Lakers lacking the perimeter shooters they had in 2020, Denver may decide to keep players like Jared Vanderbilt and Dennis Schroeder open to put more pressure on Davis.

The bottom line is that Denver doesn’t have the talent to match Davis. This was the same problem they had in 2020. So the best they can hope for is to limit everyone else and force AD ​​to beat them. If that doesn’t work, the Nuggets could be in trouble.

2. The Lakers don’t have many bodies thrown at Jokic

One of the reasons LA was so successful against Denver in 2020 was because they had other players who could give Jokic enough physicality to make him uncomfortable. From Davis to Dwight Howard and JaVale McGee, the Lakers had several players to wear down Jokic throughout the series. The same tactics may not work this time. That’s because the Lakers don’t really have another heavyweight, other than Davis, who can afford to take over Jokic’s defense should AD get into foul trouble.

The physical Jokic plays can wear players out, and if that happens to Davis, Lakers coach Durvin Hamm says he has someone to fill that hole when the AD needs a rest. You’ll need to find out what you can rely on. Perhaps we could see a spot here for Tristan Thompson, who the team signed just before the postseason to anticipate such a situation. Thompson won’t be able to stop Jokic, but he’s a fresh body LA can throw at Jokic for the purpose of putting Davis to rest. Mo Bamba is also an option, but is likely to be bullied by Jokic in the paint.

The Lakers may try to acquire Vanderbilt to reduce their size, but his lack of an offensive threat doesn’t bode well for Los Angeles on the other side of the floor. There really aren’t any solid options for the Lakers this time around, and if they can’t figure out who other than Davis can guard Jokic, the Nuggets will have the upper hand in this series.

3. Nuggets upgrade to guard LeBron

One of the underrated aspects of Denver’s playoff success so far is Gordon’s defense. He shut down Karl-Anthony Towns in the first round and blocked Kevin Durant’s supernova explosion in the conference semifinals. Now it’s time for the toughest test yet, checking LeBron James. In 2020, that role was taken by fellow defender Jerami Grant, who was too small to make any real impact. Grant and Gordon are the same height, but Gordon is much stronger than Grant, making him the ideal person to guard LeBron.

Gordon’s athleticism should also help, especially in this fight where LeBron is going downhill. But Gordon’s ability to guard LeBron doesn’t mean it’s going to be easy. The Lakers will put up too many screens to keep Gordon away from LeBron, and try to throw Jokic on the switch to force LeBron to give the go-ahead to the rim. We already know Davis is likely to feast on guarding Jokic, so this could be the biggest key to the series. So if Gordon can keep LeBron in check, or at least turn him into a facilitator rather than a scorer, that would be a plus for Denver.

4. Repeating Bubble Murray

The Orlando Bubble produced some truly elite performances and Murray was at the center of some of them. It’s the crown jewel of Murray’s career so far, including two 50-point runs in the first round against the Utah Jazz and a 40-point run against the Clippers in the conference semifinals. are doing. He didn’t score as many in the 2020 Western Conference Finals against the Lakers, but he still averaged 25 points, 7.4 assists, 4.4 rebounds and a 51.8 percent field goal percentage. It was a very effective series for Murray, getting pretty much what he wanted against an LA defense with elite defenders Alex Caruso and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, and still going through the five-game series. encouraged them.

Luckily for Murray and the Nuggets, Caldwell-Pope now wears the Denver jersey and Caruso no longer wears the purple and gold jersey. Instead, Murray will be picked up by players like D’Angelo Russell, Austin Reeves and Schroeder. Schröder could be a nuisance for Murray, but he’s a bit undersized in this matchup and just started in Game 6 against the Warriors. Russell is the weakest defender in the starting unit, so while the Nuggets may try to target Russell, the Lakers can’t let that happen. Murray figuring out how to capitalize on those mismatches will be key for the Nuggets in this series.

5. Lakers tier more productive than 2020

When the Lakers faced off against the Nuggets in 2020, it was mainly LeBron and Davis who did all the damage. Despite getting much-needed contributions from role players like Caldwell-Pope and Kyle Kuzma, Denver couldn’t handle the LeBron-Davis tandem. Outside of those two, only Caldwell-Pope averaged double figures throughout the series.

Lakers score in 2020 Western Conference Finals vs. Nuggets

Some might argue that the Lakers didn’t need a big role player performance as Los Angeles had five games against Denver, but the Lakers’ game plan was to let LeBron and Davis overwhelm the Nuggets. Clearly there was, and it worked too.

But while that likely won’t work this time against a Denver team that has grown significantly since 2020, the Lakers have also gotten far more production from role players in the postseason so far. . The Lakers’ top five playoff scoring leaders are in double figures, a remarkable improvement from their 2020 title season. What’s even more impressive is that two of those three scorers were called up by the trade deadline, meaning that LA’s moves on the trade market in February had a positive impact in more ways than its players. is given.

Lakers to score in 2023 playoffs

If players like Russell, Reeves and Hachimura continue to deliver, the Lakers won’t have to rely so much on AD or LeBron to hit astronomical numbers to get to the finish line against the Nuggets. .

While this matchup has some similarities to the previous matchup in 2020, the obvious differences indicate that these are not the same teams they faced in the Orlando Bubble three years ago. Those differences will be key throughout the series, and will determine which team will represent the Western Conference in the NBA Finals.