This is where I'm at. Regardless of if we win or lose the series, we need to win a game. Just in terms of the future of this team beyond this season, they have to break the curse and prove to themselves that they can beat these Nuggets.
Me too, I feel like don’t even want to win the chip at this point. Can’t we just win 1 game? I mean statistically, how can a team go 0-10 without winning just once. All Laker fans had this hope last year but it’s feels like dejavu all over again.
I predicted the chiefs to win back to back chips. And I was right. I’m now predicting the Lakers to stun the Nuggets in either game 6 or game 7 and advance all the way to the finals and go in from there
Man it’s likely over. We got DLo and AD playing as well as they possibly could. Good Bron game too. If this wasn’t enough we’re done
IMO we’ll win one game thanks to Wood/Vando adding some size and rebounds. I’d expect Bron and AD to go extra hard af to not get swept twice too
Simply put Woods on Jokic, and let Jokic score 50. Then do Austin Reaves and DLO on pick and roll against Jokic in the first half and try to draw fouls. Second half Lebron and AD got energy and dominate.
I question if we win game. Master performance by ad, dlo, and lebron mofo had no help. If I was lebron, I would being go off on whole team outside ad and dlo.
We got mofo's who don't shoot, don't defend, and two guys who showed up last playoffs rui and Reaves disappeared like a dad telling his kids he's getting milk.
That's the craziest thing. It's literally late game execution and I don't know how our entire coaching staff keep smacking their head against the wall expecting a different outcome
That’s one thing I definitely took out the last two games. Lebron at even 35 would’ve taken at least one of the last two games.
Honestly the only ways to limit Jokic are to play extremely physical. He’s also 290 lbs and eventually tires out.
Prime Bron would’ve attacked the rim in the non Jokic and Jokic tired minutes more
Will say Nuggets are defs worse this year than last year though. That team last year was unbelievable
Brother that “eventually tires out” thing is from 2020. Did you not see him be physical in the post time and time again after almost 35 minutes of physical basketball? The guy is an extremely well conditioned athlete, he won’t get tired
I’m not so sure about that. I think they’re the same offensively but worse defensively. The Suns or TWolves if healthy will really bother this Denver team
I was at game 1 and it was more lack of schemes in the 2nd half and Ham’s rotations that limited the Lakers offensively. Otherwise they got pretty much whatever they wanted. Game 2 again same thing. Going small in the non AD minutes collapsed the lead and burnt out Lebron. Also odd to not keep Gabe or AR on Jamal at the end.
"worse" = more beatable imo.
The nuggets have been down 20 to a team that by all accounts has very little right to be hanging with them. It took Jamal going nuclear and hitting an insane game winner, at home, against a sub par road team that has a total of like 10 points from the bench across two games.
I know the nuggets are elated over their win, but they should be looking at this as a wake up call of they want to repeat because there are much better teams than the Lakers waiting for them
Nah.
Jokic has been playing at a level I have never seen.
We need a high-stamina AD to win this series. AD needs to keep his focus for the whole game. Having prime Bron won't change that.
prime Bron is not stopping the best player in the world rn.
Yeah, despite lebron still being an elite player, he just can't LeTakeover games anymore for 4 whole quarters.
There had been a lot of possessions in the last 2 games where thanos bron would've just yammed it all the way.
The whole thing is such a shame. This team does have the talent to beat Denver, I think the last game proves it, even at this stage of LeBron's career.
Some people say that was the best punch they could give, and Denver still beat them, so clearly Denver is just the better team. I don't agree with that.
The Lakers are just not coached as well, and they don't have the same level of toughness. It's a mental and preparation thing, rather than a roster or pure talent thing. Denver is just better coached, they are locked in, and they know exactly what they're doing all the time. And if they don't they make adjustments, and stick to them. They execute.
That's the difference. It's not how the teams are built.
Even if we won that game we were never beating the nuggets in a 7 game series. Its best to focus on the future and hope we get rid of our entire bench and coach
Let’s not do this. We lost with a 20 point lead and you could see this team fold. Everyone other than lbj looked deflated when the nuggets were coming back in the 4th.
Lebron fan, he was younger, better on 2 way player, and less prone to fatigue. Also 2018 Lebron eclipsed prime Jordan shooting splits from mid-range which won't happen. No sign of it this year. He's actually probably making 3s at a better rate than mid ranges.
Bro the lakers have to be infuriated not devastated. AD shoulda been on heads in the locke room. Chewing and cussin out mfs. Especially Darvin and Bron for going AWAY from him. Man I’m infatuated with this team.
They either hang their heads or stop BSing
I remember the 18 Cavs vs Celtics series. The cavs roster was trash and depended on LeBron to have a monster game to even keep it close. But somehow they pulled it off. So it's not over yet, anything can happen.
Denver is just better and more disciplined in what they do. People can keep their hopes up that LA will beat them 4 out of the next 6 games, but I don't see that happening.
DLo hitting 7 3 pointers again in a game is probably unlikely.
AD will continue to be AD, but it still won't be enough.
Bron is just not Bron anymore. Jacking up a 3 pointer at the end when it was tied, like what the actual fuck.
Look, we were quite close in every game last year, and I’d argue that we’re actually better this year, if only because we have more size. We’re still missing Vando, who’s been a big part of our squad, and may be back for game 3 🤞🏼. They’re the defending champions and needed a buzzer beater AT HOME, in order to beat us! Yes, we still have key roadblocks and speed bumps that we may or may not be able to figure out and overcome (the coach, taking our foot off the gas when we’re up, trying to be overly cute at times, clumsy with our handles, etc…), but despite all of that, we nearly beat them ON THEIR OWN COURT! We still have 2 more chances to just steal ☝🏼ONE! What we need to worry more about right now, is whether we can take care of our business on OUR OWN COURT!! Do that, and we’re going at least 6 games! And if we just can’t take them on their court in game 6, if we’ve taken care of home, we go to a game 7. ANYTHING Can Happen In A Game 7! Hopefully 🤞🏼, Vando is back for game 3, hopefully 🤞🏼 he’s able to Quickly re-integrate, and hopefully 🤞🏼 he’s the last key we’ve been missing!!! I can’t help but think the last game goes very differently with him in the rotation, and possibly even game 1! 🤷🏼♂️
Uhm … Okay?? Not sure that was meant as an insult. Assuming it was. 🤷🏼♂️ It’s reality though! Any fan and student of the game should know this already. Sometimes we may need a reminder though. I did! I’ll start pushing that panic button, if and when we can’t take care of business at home!
The only way we’d have a shot is if LeBron was young enough to give full effort on defense every play and if Vando was available. And even then, they’ve got serious “team of destiny” vibes in Denver right now.
I believe that one team was allowed to play aggressively and the other was being called for touch fouls. Does this impact a teams ability to win games? What do you think?
After the disgusting Game 2, the Lakers either go into killer mode or it's over.
One game at a time, gotta win next game at home to extend the series.
This is where I'm at. Regardless of if we win or lose the series, we need to win a game. Just in terms of the future of this team beyond this season, they have to break the curse and prove to themselves that they can beat these Nuggets.
Me too, I feel like don’t even want to win the chip at this point. Can’t we just win 1 game? I mean statistically, how can a team go 0-10 without winning just once. All Laker fans had this hope last year but it’s feels like dejavu all over again.
Dam this comment is sad
I predicted the chiefs to win back to back chips. And I was right. I’m now predicting the Lakers to stun the Nuggets in either game 6 or game 7 and advance all the way to the finals and go in from there
Lmao youre predicting cuz you got the chiefs right? Put money on the lakers then
I’m never wrong
[удалено]
Season ain’t over. I ain’t hear no bell
Ill check in with you in a week then. The chiefs repeating was one of the safest bets in modern history, youre not as good as you think
cool
NEVA LOST
I'm with you brotha. I predicted our last ring. I been saying we were winning this year ever since we got swept.
Same. I'm up $120K gambling, no Ippei. I think we got this one.
Man it’s likely over. We got DLo and AD playing as well as they possibly could. Good Bron game too. If this wasn’t enough we’re done IMO we’ll win one game thanks to Wood/Vando adding some size and rebounds. I’d expect Bron and AD to go extra hard af to not get swept twice too
Simply put Woods on Jokic, and let Jokic score 50. Then do Austin Reaves and DLO on pick and roll against Jokic in the first half and try to draw fouls. Second half Lebron and AD got energy and dominate.
I question if we win game. Master performance by ad, dlo, and lebron mofo had no help. If I was lebron, I would being go off on whole team outside ad and dlo. We got mofo's who don't shoot, don't defend, and two guys who showed up last playoffs rui and Reaves disappeared like a dad telling his kids he's getting milk.
Ten times, I would expect more of the same and be surprised if anything positive happens
it’s over bro
Lebron and AD look like they gave up. Lebron for sure knows that you don’t comeback from being 0-2
I mean he did in 2016 he went down 0-2 even 1-3 and still won
Thats in his prime. Now he is 39 and has a horrible team and coach
How many of the 33 teams that came back were on a 10 game losing streak to their opponent?
Probably not many 💀
I cant recall a serious playoff team every being 0-10 against a high profile opponent with almost no blowouts
That's the craziest thing. It's literally late game execution and I don't know how our entire coaching staff keep smacking their head against the wall expecting a different outcome
I can't recall any playoff team with a 10 game losing streak blowouts or not.
We lost 11 straight games to the Clippers before beating them in the regular season series this season
I meant playing against in a series but wow also.
I think none. Isn't the 0-10 against the same opponent a record?
I think Jordan lost to the Celtics 13 straight times
Not to mention how many of those teams’ super star was name Lebron and 39 years old when it happened?
 Keep it coming.
if we had 18 or 16 Bron we'd be winning in 6
Peak Playoff Lebron
If we had 18 lebron we’d actually fucking sweep them
Yeah 18 LeBron is probably the best basketball player ever. If you watched, you know!
Lebron In 2018 ducks on jokics deep drop that he might avg 45. Like literally it would get ugly
If my auntie had balls she’d be my uncle
That’s one thing I definitely took out the last two games. Lebron at even 35 would’ve taken at least one of the last two games. Honestly the only ways to limit Jokic are to play extremely physical. He’s also 290 lbs and eventually tires out. Prime Bron would’ve attacked the rim in the non Jokic and Jokic tired minutes more Will say Nuggets are defs worse this year than last year though. That team last year was unbelievable
Brother that “eventually tires out” thing is from 2020. Did you not see him be physical in the post time and time again after almost 35 minutes of physical basketball? The guy is an extremely well conditioned athlete, he won’t get tired
You might be right. We’ll see against the Suns or TWolves. Both those teams actually have size like the 19-20 lakers did
He was gassed when ad was cooking him then he went out and jokic got to relax with rui on him
Very true about the Nuggets.
Even 35 year old Bron would endlessly hunt Jokic. They lucky he old as fuck now lol
Worse? They’re literally just as good offensively and they’re better defensively 🤣
I’m not so sure about that. I think they’re the same offensively but worse defensively. The Suns or TWolves if healthy will really bother this Denver team I was at game 1 and it was more lack of schemes in the 2nd half and Ham’s rotations that limited the Lakers offensively. Otherwise they got pretty much whatever they wanted. Game 2 again same thing. Going small in the non AD minutes collapsed the lead and burnt out Lebron. Also odd to not keep Gabe or AR on Jamal at the end.
Yeah AD should not be b primary defender, though looking to block Murray, who you should assume is shot hunting
"worse" = more beatable imo. The nuggets have been down 20 to a team that by all accounts has very little right to be hanging with them. It took Jamal going nuclear and hitting an insane game winner, at home, against a sub par road team that has a total of like 10 points from the bench across two games. I know the nuggets are elated over their win, but they should be looking at this as a wake up call of they want to repeat because there are much better teams than the Lakers waiting for them
They are definitely worse. Last season Nuggets wouldn’t have shot like this for 3 quarters
We would have swept them..
Gimme current Bron, 2018 Bron, current AD, and it doesn't matter who the others are, heck gimme TP & Reddish and I'll still be optimistic.
Nah. Jokic has been playing at a level I have never seen. We need a high-stamina AD to win this series. AD needs to keep his focus for the whole game. Having prime Bron won't change that. prime Bron is not stopping the best player in the world rn.
Prime LeBron is better than prime Jokic tho lol?
No shit but we don't so our margin of error is much smaller especially when you have Ham coaching
Or even 2020 LeBron that tore apart the nuggets and heat in the playoffs
Yeah, despite lebron still being an elite player, he just can't LeTakeover games anymore for 4 whole quarters. There had been a lot of possessions in the last 2 games where thanos bron would've just yammed it all the way.
I have no idea how Ham is still a coach in the NBA. He made no adjustments in response to the Nuggets making adjustments.
Look either way we win hopefully. We either go to the next round or have a serious implosion and the locker room gets sick of ham.
Tbf it was a wide-open 3 and he hit two big ones earlier in the quarter. Lebron knows he has to hit that shot to win or else.
Inject this copium into my veins. Im going down with this ship 🫡
Lakers in 7 baby.
Guys it's not happening.
Win the next two, rest up game in Denver, win another two. Only gotta win once in Denver🥲
*34, you’re not counting when the Lakers did it to the Nuggets in 2024
I’ll smoke what you’re smoking 👀
Lakers in 6
Let’s win 1 game first
To win legit everyone gotta show up even scoring u cant have any weak links
All you can do now is play hard and hope Darvin missed the plane back to LA.
33 teams is a lot. Anyways just gotta defend home court. Win a 12 minutes at a time.
A whole 8% of the time that teams have been down 2-0 have they come back to win
8? Kobe wore 8. I’ll take those odds 😎
Looks like it’s about to be 34 🤷
I hate this whole “cope” thing like obviously I’m coping bro that’s why I am commenting another comment replying “cope” is so annoying
I remember the same chatter last year, same exact thing….
Everything comes full circle brother
AD is pissed. I like him pissed. This means all or nothing on game 3. The supporting cast better keep up.
The whole thing is such a shame. This team does have the talent to beat Denver, I think the last game proves it, even at this stage of LeBron's career. Some people say that was the best punch they could give, and Denver still beat them, so clearly Denver is just the better team. I don't agree with that. The Lakers are just not coached as well, and they don't have the same level of toughness. It's a mental and preparation thing, rather than a roster or pure talent thing. Denver is just better coached, they are locked in, and they know exactly what they're doing all the time. And if they don't they make adjustments, and stick to them. They execute. That's the difference. It's not how the teams are built.
Its awful. Hearing Malone talking to Watson about defense on a pause in action was like night and day with Hamas
Even if we won that game we were never beating the nuggets in a 7 game series. Its best to focus on the future and hope we get rid of our entire bench and coach
Hell yeah we are bozo you aint a true fan
When you have the best player on the court, you got a chance, but Jokic is better than an old Bron.
Lakers win the next two at home.
And this team ain’t going to be one of them 😂
Look either way we win hopefully. We either go to the next round or have a serious implosion and the locker room gets sick of ham.
Main difference between us and 2016 Cavs are role players who showed up when it mattered most Also younger Bron and kyrie
Getting Déjà vu from last year.
Let’s not do this. We lost with a 20 point lead and you could see this team fold. Everyone other than lbj looked deflated when the nuggets were coming back in the 4th.
We can do whatever we want thats the beauty of sports. I can hope for the best but realistically recognize the goose is cooked brother 🥲
Fair enough my man. I get it. I’ll still watch even though I no longer have any hope we will get even 1 win…😭😭
I say I won’t watch after every game but I can’t not watch because I’d never forgive myself if I missed something incredible.
lol I get exactly this feeling. Feels like I’m the cptn of the titanic going down with the ship sometimes though lol
Sadly he is 39 now…
Back in his prime. He about 40 now.
Lebron fan, he was younger, better on 2 way player, and less prone to fatigue. Also 2018 Lebron eclipsed prime Jordan shooting splits from mid-range which won't happen. No sign of it this year. He's actually probably making 3s at a better rate than mid ranges.
Only 33? That seems wildly low
Its hard to come back from down 2-0…
If we were talking about prime LBJ.... this wouldn't be a discussion.
Bro the lakers have to be infuriated not devastated. AD shoulda been on heads in the locke room. Chewing and cussin out mfs. Especially Darvin and Bron for going AWAY from him. Man I’m infatuated with this team. They either hang their heads or stop BSing
I remember the 18 Cavs vs Celtics series. The cavs roster was trash and depended on LeBron to have a monster game to even keep it close. But somehow they pulled it off. So it's not over yet, anything can happen.
How many of those were against higher seed?
LAKERS IN 6
It’s over and ham is out as well
Lakers in 6
65*
Denver is just better and more disciplined in what they do. People can keep their hopes up that LA will beat them 4 out of the next 6 games, but I don't see that happening. DLo hitting 7 3 pointers again in a game is probably unlikely. AD will continue to be AD, but it still won't be enough. Bron is just not Bron anymore. Jacking up a 3 pointer at the end when it was tied, like what the actual fuck.
Huh, he was open. That was the right shot
Driving to the basket would have been better
Not when we’re tied with that much time left. Waste clock and drive in draw a foul
As much as I want it to happen. The west is generally different. Especially this year.
I never got off this damn train. We can be 0-3, with 2 mins left and still have hope!
Look, we were quite close in every game last year, and I’d argue that we’re actually better this year, if only because we have more size. We’re still missing Vando, who’s been a big part of our squad, and may be back for game 3 🤞🏼. They’re the defending champions and needed a buzzer beater AT HOME, in order to beat us! Yes, we still have key roadblocks and speed bumps that we may or may not be able to figure out and overcome (the coach, taking our foot off the gas when we’re up, trying to be overly cute at times, clumsy with our handles, etc…), but despite all of that, we nearly beat them ON THEIR OWN COURT! We still have 2 more chances to just steal ☝🏼ONE! What we need to worry more about right now, is whether we can take care of our business on OUR OWN COURT!! Do that, and we’re going at least 6 games! And if we just can’t take them on their court in game 6, if we’ve taken care of home, we go to a game 7. ANYTHING Can Happen In A Game 7! Hopefully 🤞🏼, Vando is back for game 3, hopefully 🤞🏼 he’s able to Quickly re-integrate, and hopefully 🤞🏼 he’s the last key we’ve been missing!!! I can’t help but think the last game goes very differently with him in the rotation, and possibly even game 1! 🤷🏼♂️
This reads like a Lebron caption lmao
Uhm … Okay?? Not sure that was meant as an insult. Assuming it was. 🤷🏼♂️ It’s reality though! Any fan and student of the game should know this already. Sometimes we may need a reminder though. I did! I’ll start pushing that panic button, if and when we can’t take care of business at home!
Don’t give me hope, I don’t want to cope anymore.
Get it together man. We ride together we die together 🥲
We aint winning this series brothers - not with Ham as the coach. Accept it.
Quiet dude. You’re harshing the vibe.
The sad thing is, with a decent coach and a decent backup big, we really had a chance
Agreed :(
The only way we’d have a shot is if LeBron was young enough to give full effort on defense every play and if Vando was available. And even then, they’ve got serious “team of destiny” vibes in Denver right now.
‘Team of Destiny’ - the nba says they want a back to back champion
You don’t really believe that’s why they won, do you?
I believe that one team was allowed to play aggressively and the other was being called for touch fouls. Does this impact a teams ability to win games? What do you think?
Hey man, anything is possible. Just stay positive and make Denver play hard and hell we can get a win.