#Lakers vs nuggets game 5 2009 series#

The Lakers also survived the play-in tournament to start their postseason march. After revamping their team at the deadline, their front office deserves significant credit, too.

Edge: Even.Ĭoaching: Darvin Ham deserves immense credit for turning a team that was 2-10 in November into a conference finalist. Brown, a fellow Miami Hurricane, will be tasked with erasing him. Lakers guard Lonnie Walker proved he can be a sparkplug off their bench. Given the Lakers’ strength, there’s also the possibility Malone dives a bit deeper into his bench with forwards Vlatko Cancar, Zeke Nnaji and Peyton Watson. Jeff Green is one of the few forwards who can still jump with James, but he needs to hit the glass more than he’s historically done. It’s clear Nuggets coach Michael Malone trusts him to close games, too.

Edge: Lakersīench: Bruce Brown is the rare reserve who can play multiple positions, guard different players, slot into different roles and still be impactful. Expect Jokic to punish that vulnerability by trying to get Davis into foul trouble. Unlike in 2020, the Lakers don’t have a trove of big men behind their stars. Davis’ length and athleticism could flummox Denver in the paint and on the glass. Jokic is a generational offensive firehose who will test Davis’ defensive limits.

#Lakers vs nuggets game 5 2009 series#

This series could come down to which future Hall of Famer, Nikola Jokic or Davis, wins their individual matchup. His defensive matchups - Karl-Anthony Towns, Durant and now James - have offered a Murderer’s Row of responsibilities. There’s also no telling how many more times he’ll be this close to a title, which constitutes scary motivation. With an efficient 30-point, 9-rebound, 9-assist night in a closeout game against the Warriors, there’s zero question James still has an extra gear. Edge: Nuggetsīig men: Whatever category you put LeBron James in, he’s been among the most impactful basketball players in the world for the better part of two decades. For as good as his defense is, the Nuggets could also use a bigger offensive punch from rookie Christian Braun off the bench. Porter has to make a bigger impact in this series than he did against Phoenix. The Lakers have two pillars inside without a ton of positional length around them. Vanderbilt’s an elite offensive rebounder who will punish Porter, who happens to be his close friend. If he gets the Vanderbilt assignment on defense, there’s no leaking out in transition. The Nuggets need his shot-making to draw out the Lakers’ defense and need his rebounding, on both ends, against LeBron James and Anthony Davis. The X-factor, just as Kevin Durant deemed him last round: Michael Porter Jr. Wings: The Nuggets could have a sizable advantage in terms of length in this series. Also, don’t be surprised if the Lakers start Vanderbilt to help combat Denver’s length. Expect former Laker Kentavious Caldwell-Pope to draw the assignment, leaving Murray to deal with Reaves. Russell is the most potent scoring threat the Lakers have in their backcourt. That means trusting the pass and trusting his teammates. Whether it’s D’Angelo Russell, Austin Reaves, Dennis Schroder, or even potentially Jarred Vanderbilt hounding him, Murray needs to be the closer he was in the first round. The Lakers’ strength resides in the paint, not on the perimeter. Guards: For the Nuggets to advance, Jamal Murray needs to find seams within the Lakers’ tight defense and win his matchup.

Digital Replica Edition Home Page Close MenuĪs the Denver Nuggets enter the Western Conference Finals for the second time in four seasons, a breakdown of their matchup against the Los Angeles Lakers: Who has the edge?