WCF Nuggets v Lakers | Game 3 Preview

Game 3 | Nuggets @ Lakers | Crypto.com Arena | Los Angeles, CA | Tipoff @ 6:40(mst)

They say a series never starts until the home team loses. But Jalen Rose was onto something when he said “this series has already started, Denver is up 2-0.” And if you ask a Boston Celtics fan, I’m sure would agree with the first statement, and if you ask a Lakers fan or someone who works at the four-letter, they may even tell you the Lakers have the Nuggets right where they want them. But I digress. This is a must win, for both teams. A must-win for LA because they cannot afford to down 3-0 or even 3-1 which means Denver has “stole” one on the

Lakers’ home court. For the Nuggets it’s a must-win because if they truly want to be “respected” or “noticed”, winning a game at Crypto.com Arena would definitely shut some of those people up, or effectively end the series.

The Lakers NEED to come out swinging and make the first punch, much like they did in Game 2. But actually sustain it for four quarters, and this time you can’t blame the altitude, or officiating or whatever. That being said, the question has become, can LeBron and AD keep up a fast-paced game in a seven-game series with a younger team, well they better. It’s almost clear that either LeBron’s age or his foot injuries are catching up to him. I think it’s much more the latter. Even Bron won’t come out and say he’s hurt, tired and exhausted sure, but

injured? No. The other question, which was also brought up in our Game 1 preview, was can AD has back-to-back dominate and consistent games. To which he answered with a no. Now don’t get me wrong, a lot of players would take his line of 18/14, but those are the numbers your role players need to be putting up along side 20-25+ from LeBron and AD.

So, keys for the Lakers is to obviously feed of being home, to which they are undefeated this postseason, and come out full swing. Which they probably will, but I think Denver’s comeback in Game 2, in which LA led practically the entire game, snatch their sole from them a little bit. But once again, and this goes for both teams, role players need to do their thing. Rui and Reaves stepped up huge in Game 2 and it still wasn’t enough, DLo had a better game with 10 points, but when you have Vanderbilt, Schroder and Lonnie Walker getting 10-20+ minutes, they can’t go 4, 4 and 2 points, respectively. LA almost had us all convinced that they had figured out a way to slow Jokic down, which sure, 23/17/12 can be considered slowing him down compared to the last handful of games. Let Joker get his and do not let him facilitate and shut the role players down.

All of the pressure is now off the Nuggets. They did their job and still remain undefeated at home themselves. The pressure now shifts to the Lakers to not only remain unbeaten at home, but to practically save their season. Knowing head coach Michael Malone, he isn’t going to fix what’s not broken, meaning he will probably will continue to roll with the same rotation. Now see saw a Reggie

Jackson sighting in Game 2, but unless there’s early foul trouble again, don’t expect any tweaks to anything. Now if you’re asking if there should be any changes, sure. I would personally either limit Jeff Green’s minutes or take him out of the rotation completely. Sure he’s made a couple three-pointers and a few dunks, but is a -11 in the two home games. I get it, he’s a league vet with plenty of experience, but he looked completely lost in the second game and could not stay in front of anyone. Now, the double-edge sword is if you throw a young Peyton Watson or Zeke Nnaji out there, they may also be completely lost because of the lack of playing time. But because it is a chance of a lifetime to play against the Lakers, and LeBron James in Los Angeles, they may either be full on adrenaline and do great, or the flashy lights of Tinsel Town may be too bright for them. Which rookie Christian Braun may be going through right now as well. So look for the Nuggets’ “great eight” to be the same.

Game 3 is going to be the most interesting to see which team breaks out of the gates early. Both squads have more-or-less countered their opponent’s first attack. The Lakers came back and made it close in Game 1, and the Nuggets came back and won Game 2. Once again, this is a series of role players, the “big-four” are going to get their’s. But for the Lakers, which Anthony Davis is going to show up, because they could really use another 40-point game from him. And can LeBron take over a game like he used to and know when to stop settling for the

three, he is 0 for his last 19 attempts from deep in the fourth quarter. Almost as much can be true for the Nuggets’ Jamal Murray, which part of the game will we start to see the “Murray Flurry” from him. Plain and simple, both teams have to play around the whistle and adapt to how the game will be officiated, and role players have to step up if their main guys are looking to get them involved.