What do the Los Angeles Lakers have to do to beat the Denver Nuggets in the first round of the playoffs?
To start, LeBron James will need to play better than Jamal Murray.
But Jason Timpf said that it’s Anthony Davis who will have to do the most in the opening round.
He said that Davis needs to show a lot more fight than he did last year when the Lakers faced the Nuggets.
“I have big expectations for AD in this one,” Timpf said, per The Volume.
“I have big expectations for AD”
—@_JasonLT breaks down why Anthony Davis is the most important player in Lakers-Nuggets pic.twitter.com/vN2533hpj5
— The Volume (@TheVolumeSports) April 19, 2024
Timpf reminded fans that Davis looked tired and out of sorts during last year’s Western Conference Finals.
At the time, people said this was proof that Jokic was a better player than Davis, but the Lakers star can change that narrative.
If he can compete with Jokic and limit him in the paint, he could help Los Angeles in a huge way.
Timpf makes it clear: the Lakers only have a chance of beating the Nuggets if both James and Davis are playing terrific basketball every single night.
They cannot let off the gas or go easy on Denver and there is absolutely no room for error.
The Lakers are trying to get revenge after being swept by the Nuggets last season, which is no small feat considering how the Nuggets have arguably gotten better since then.
But the Lakers have gotten better too and want to settle the score.
If they are able to do that, it’ll be a massive and surprising moment for the team.
Throughout his career, Davis has been criticized for being inconsistent and now his consistency will be key in the days ahead.
NEXT:
NBA Executive Questions The Future Of Cavs Star
