Denver Nuggets Face LA Lakers In First Round Of NBA Playoffs
Recent Dominance Over Los Angeles Could Bode Well For Denver
Regular Season Success Does Not Always Translate To Postseason Dominance
The Denver Nuggets, the second seed in the Western Conference and defending NBA champions, closed out their regular season on a 4-1 run. They will now face the Los Angeles Lakers, the seventh seed in the Western Conference, in the first round of the playoffs. The Nuggets have won three of their four meetings with the Lakers this season, including a 110-99 victory in their final regular season matchup on March 8. However, the Lakers have won the last two meetings between the two teams, including a 112-109 victory in Los Angeles on January 17.
The Nuggets are led by two-time MVP Nikola Jokic, who averaged 27.1 points, 13.8 rebounds, and 7.9 assists per game this season. The Lakers are led by LeBron James, who averaged 30.3 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 6.2 assists per game this season. James is one of the greatest players in NBA history, but he is also 37 years old and has been dealing with injuries this season. The Nuggets will be hoping to take advantage of James' age and injury concerns in this series.
The Lakers have a lot of experience in the playoffs, but they are not as talented as the Nuggets. The Nuggets should be favored to win this series, but the Lakers have a chance to pull off an upset if James is able to stay healthy and play at a high level. The series is likely to be decided by which team can get the most production from its role players. The Nuggets have a deeper bench than the Lakers, but the Lakers have some very talented players in Anthony Davis, Russell Westbrook, and Carmelo Anthony. This series is sure to be close, and it could go either way.
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