LeBron proved Lakers should have Nuggets on red alert with single shocking act

The Denver Nuggets dropped a disappointing 127-125 overtime thriller to the Los Angeles Lakers, which saw LeBron James save his team by going full extension to secure an extra possession late in the fourth quarter. LA is a serious threat if King James is doing all the little things. They have Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves to get buckets. The Lakers need LeBron to play stout defense and make winning plays. He scarily did just that against the Nuggets.

Denver fell behind big early, only to storm back with a 37-point third quarter. The Nuggets appeared to be in control of the game late, but Los Angeles kept fighting. LeBron’s hustle play was just the start. They got an improbable Austin Reaves score off his own free-throw miss to force overtime. It was Luka Doncic who hit the game-winner to give LA the win and the season series over the Nuggets.

The Lakers have struggled with injuries and are still figuring things out. They have won five straight and have LeBron James sacrificing for the team. That is a scary thought, and the King’s hustle play against Denver makes the purple and gold a terrifying matchup for any contender.

LeBron James puts Nuggets on red alert with play no 41-year-old makes

The Lakers have three stars and a puncher’s chance against any opponent. Playoff Luka has proven to be a problem. Austin Reaves’ star breakout raises LA’s ceiling, but it gives them three ball-dominant stars atop their roster. That means someone has to sacrifice to make the team elite. LeBron makes the most sense, and he’s buying into that role.

This was an unbelievable play that nobody expected. Even Lakers head coach JJ Redick was shocked that James went full extension to save the ball for his team.

The Nuggets are a serious threat to win the championship. Nikola Jokic is playing like the MVP and just had a signature moment to boost his case. Denver has a strong collection of talent around him. Rich Paul was just praising the two-man game between the Joker and Jamal Murray. Nobody wants to see the Nuggets in the playoffs.

The Lakers are joining that company with LeBron in this role. If he plays elite defense, gets easy buckets, and makes winning efforts, LA is a serious threat. Luka and AR will make sure the purple and gold score. If LeBron can lead everywhere else, even the Nuggets won’t want to face the Lakers in the postseason.

Nobody thought James would save that ball, but he wants that fifth ring. Jokic is chasing his second in a loaded Western Conference. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has the Thunder primed to repeat, and Victor Wembanyama has the Spurs thinking they can win it all. There are no easy outs in this conference, and the last thing anyone in the Mile High City wanted was the Lakers to become serious threats. Sadly, LeBron is making sure they are here.

The Denver Nuggets lost a crucial tiebreaker to the Lakers on Saturday night as they fell to sixth in the Western Conference. There is no time to waste, and every game is massive down the stretch. Nikola Jokic and his team want to get into the top four for homecourt in the opening round.

They are now trying to avoid the Lakers with LeBron finding his optimal role for team success. This would be a wild playoff matchup that fans deserve, even if neither team would be excited to face the other. Expect fireworks if it happens.