How LeBron and Lakers plan to end Denver’s dominance against them

How LeBron James and the Lakers are planning to end Denver's dominance against them https://t.co/usX5CIz5tf

— LakerTom (@LakerTom) April 19, 2024

One of those is the Nuggets’ late-game proficiency, where they’ve been able to seemingly make every big shot in every big moment to close the Lakers out.

“it’s a combination of a couple different things. That’s why I mentioned consistent discipline with our execution, make sure we get the right shots that we know makes us that much more hard to guard,” coach Darvin Ham said of the late-game problems. “And give them credit. They had different guys step up and make big shots for them. We’ve had unfortunate turnovers, unfortunate missed blockouts. And they’re a championship team. So, you have to do the little things.

“The intangibles have to be on point.”

Nuggets forward Peyton Watson celebrates after dunking on the Lakers during a Denver win on March 2.
Denver forward Peyton Watson emotes after dunking on the Lakers during the Nuggets’ win on March 2. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
D’Angelo Russell, the star of another storyline after being essentially played out of the series a year ago, said his focus all year has been, in part, on some intangibles for postseason moments like this.

Last year against the Nuggets, Russell averaged just 6.3 points and 3.5 assists while making only two of 13 from three — his worst playoff series of his career.

“Obviously, I do more on the offensive end, but trying to stay valuable on the floor in the guts and crunch of the game,” Russell said. “Trying to be on the floor because I can hold my own, for sure.”

Russell said he’s going to try to pull back from the narratives around him and the Nuggets as he prepares for the series.

“I don’t even think like that. I try to think less, try to treat it like it’s the first game of the season, how it was a bunch of hype when we played Denver again,” he said. “My approach was just care less, be free, be a butterfly out there, just float and I’ll find myself in a comfort zone that’s been working for me lately.”

Though Russell scored only 11 points that game, he did finish as a plus-1 while on the court.

The Lakers should have help behind him with Gabe Vincent and Spencer Dinwiddie, two physical defenders who play a style that the Lakers lacked a year ago.