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After the Los Angeles Lakers Recreation One loss to the Denver Nuggets on Saturday evening, LeBron James is aware of his crew cannot afford any errors shifting ahead.
“We may have been higher. I believed we performed some good ball tonight, however we may’ve been higher,” James instructed reporters after the sport (1:30 mark). “We all know we simply haven’t got a lot room for error versus a Denver crew, particularly on their residence ground. They’re only a crew that is been by way of all the pieces. Clearly, they’re the defending champions. So, you bought to execute, you bought to make pictures, you bought to defend.”
James stated a key focus will likely be limiting offensive rebounds for a crew that boasts the most effective offenses within the league.
“After which you’ll be able to’t give them additional possessions,” James stated. “Them having 18 second-chance factors if you’re making an attempt to defend already towards a high-powered offensive crew, that is going to be already tough.”
In Saturday’s 114-103 loss, James and his co-star, Anthony Davis, carried their weight. James had 27 factors, eight assists and 6 rebounds whereas Davis notched 32 factors, 14 rebounds and 5 assists.
Whereas the Lakers acquired strong manufacturing from their stars, Los Angeles’ help forged struggled. D’Angelo Russell and Austin Reaves had 13 factors every whereas Rui Hachimura had seven factors. The position gamers’ efforts weren’t almost sufficient to maintain up with Denver’s offense.
Nikola Jokić had 32 factors, 12 rebounds and 7 assists within the win. Whereas these performances from the two-time MVP are considerably inevitable, the Lakers can keep within the collection in the event that they match the Nuggets’ offensive manufacturing.
The loss was harking back to the Western Convention finals final yr. The Lakers had been within the sport by way of the primary half, however a third-quarter push that noticed the Nuggets outscore Los Angeles 32-18 helped put the sport out of attain.
These sorts of third-quarter collapses will not be sufficient for the Lakers to tug off a first-round upset, and James and Los Angeles will likely be trying to play a whole sport within the subsequent sport of the collection on Monday.