How the Denver Nuggets stack up against their potential opponents
How the Denver Nuggets match up with the Los Angeles Lakers
A rematch of the Western Conference finals in last year’s bubble is undoubtedly the toughest matchup of the three.
Despite LA’s shaky form down the stretch of the regular season, they are still widely regarded as one of the favorites to hoist the Larry O’Brien Trophy. With both Anthony Davis and LeBron James getting back up to speed after missing large portions of the season, the Lakers will be undoubtedly ready to go once the postseason commences.
Although the Lakers disposed of the Nuggets in five games last season, that series was a lot closer than people think. Who knows how that series could have looked if Mason Plumlee stayed on Anthony Davis in the dying seconds of Game 2 and didn’t allow the big man an open shot to win the game. Nikola Jokic also seems out for revenge after stating that he would welcome a rematch against the Lakers.
Offensive focal point: LeBron James
Absolutely no surprise here. Count on LeBron dictating the series just like he’s dictated every playoff series he has ever been in.
Mistakes will be at a premium as LeBron possesses one of the highest basketball IQs in NBA History. Who’s going to guard him? Aaron Gordon? Paul Millsap? MPJ? Good Luck.
The best bet is to try and limit his influence as much as humanly possible.
Defensive stopper: Anthony Davis
The skillset of a small forward in the body of a center, Anthony Davis is a force anywhere on the court. On the defensive end, he has the rare ability to be equally as dominant guarding the perimeter as he is protecting the rim.
This defensive prowess is second-to-none in a league where having a big man who can switch onto anybody is a rarity.
How he has never won a Defensive Player of the Year award is absolute ludacris. This is undoubtedly the toughest matchup for the Joker.
X factor: Dennis Shröder
The German guard can fill the bucket up in a hurry, and with the Nuggets lacking any real defenders at point guard, Shröder might be able to take advantage of Denver’s defense.
He averages over 15 points and almost six assists per game so far this season. This is also Shröder’s first time playing for a real contender, plus he’s on a contract year, so he really needs to show what he brings to the table.
After turning down a massive contract extension, he undoubtedly thinks of himself as a star in this league, which is questionable, to say the least.
Matchup to exploit:
This is a tough one to pick out, but the Lakers don’t have many great defenders playing at guard.
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Alex Caruso and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope are above-average defenders but Dennis Shröder is far from that.
In an ideal world, Jamal Murray would be the man to exploit this weakness, however, with that not being an option, the Nuggets need to get a superstar performance or two from their current guards. Whether it’s Facundo Campazo, PJ Dozier, Monte Morris (if healthy), or even Austin Rivers, Denver needs somebody to step up in Murray’s absence.