3 tweaks Michael Malone and Nuggets should make in game 2 to keep edge over Lakers

Both teams threw some punches in game one of the Nuggets and Lakers first-round series on Saturday night. The Lakers came out swinging in the first half, opening up a double-digit lead and looking to be controlling the game on both ends. But the Nuggets responded with a knockout blow in the third quarter and effectively put the game away.

A lot of the second half looked like business as usual in this matchup with Denver pulling away late and outexecuting the Lakers down the stretch. But this is still its own unique series and it’s far from over. The Lakers will make counters and play differently. They’ll pull out all the stops to try and get the Nuggets uncomfortable. 

If the Lakers can bounce back and head back to Los Angeles with a 1-1 split, things could swing quickly and they could find themselves in control of the series in a hurry. The Nuggets need to make sure they don’t get too comfortable in this matchup. They need to be proactive in making adjustments and maintaining their role as the aggressors.

The Nuggets are still clearly the better team, perhaps by a good amount. They certainly don’t need to reinvent the wheel or anything. For the most part, they just need to stay the course, stay focused, and play their game. But there are a few small tweaks they can make going into game 2 to ensure they keep the upper hand.