The Nuggets saw their nine-game winning streak come to a screeching halt on Saturday night as the team fell flat against the hated Lakers, 123-100. Denver had been 13-1 against LA over the past few years, including the playoffs, but this was a different Lakers team and a very different outcome on the court.
There were a lot of ways this game went wrong; Michael Malone and his staff need to get back to the drawing board and make some changes because LA is a completely different team with Luka Doncic in place of Anthony Davis. But for the most part, the Nuggets had a bad night - they were due for one - and they’ll just need to play a lot better.
Strawther picks up 4 fouls in under 2 minutes
But one takeaway from this one that does seem tangible was the play of Julian Strawther. Strawther has had a nice year for the Nuggets in his second year as a pro. He’s provided solid scoring and shooting off the bench but has been inconsistent in other areas.
On Saturday, he came into the game late in the first quarter and was immediately targeted on defense. The Lakers went at him in pick-and-roll the second he came onto the floor and didn’t stop. As a result, Strawther picked up four fouls in just under two minutes and was benched for the rest of the half.
He looked shaky and a step off out there, really struggling to find his footing in his brief first-half stint as he didn’t get up a shot and turned it over once on offense. He came back in late in the third quarter and played a lot in garbage time in the fourth quarter, finishing the night with just 2 points on 1/4 shooting in 12 minutes.
If Strawther can’t pick up the defense, Malone can’t play him in playoffs
This was a big game against a rival team that was clearly taking it very seriously and could end up being an opponent in the playoffs. Not only did Strawther not rise to the occasion, he looked pretty lost out there under the bright lights, even on his home floor.
That’s not a good sign for a young player who is currently slated to be the eighth man in this rotation. But if he can’t improve his consistency and become more accountable and reliable, Malone may have to look in other directions come playoff time or shorten his rotations even further.