In the second game of the 2023-24 NBA Western Conference semifinals, the Denver Nuggets defeated the Los Angeles Lakers 101-99 at home, leading the opponent 2-0 in the overall score.
First, let's review the performance of the people in the spotlight. As the core strength of the Lakers, the "James Mei" combination of James and Davis scored a staggering 58 points in the game.
Among them, James contributed 26 points, 8 rebounds and 12 assists, and Davis had a double-double of 32 points and 11 rebounds. It can be said that the Zhan Mei combination played their normal level in this battle, leading the team to maintain the lead in the first three quarters.
However, the Lakers' young interior lineman Reaves and outside shooter Russell did not perform as well as they should.
In contrast, the core lineup of the Nuggets has shown extraordinary combat effectiveness and stable performance. Jokic once again scored a triple-double with 27 points, 20 rebounds and 10 assists, and dominated the interior in an all-round way; Murray scored 20 points, 5 assists and 9 rebounds to contribute to the team's comeback in the final quarter.
Judging from the specific process of the game, the Lakers had the upper hand in the first three quarters. They led 28-24 in the first quarter, then extended the advantage to 15 points in the second quarter and led the Nuggets by 15 points at 59-44 at halftime.
In the third quarter, the Lakers even stretched the difference to 20 points at one point, and it seemed that the overall situation was decided.
For the Lakers, this is undoubtedly a cruel lesson. As a traditional powerhouse, there are many veterans who have won championships in the team, such as James, Davis and others have experienced countless such life-and-death offenses and defenses in past championship battles.
In contrast, the Nuggets' young players, such as Jokic and Murray, have shown remarkable composure and tenacity in this game, although the honor room is more modest. Especially in those critical moments, they were not limited by the lack of previous experience, but relied on pure fighting spirit and hard work, and finally reversed handsomely.
This impressive victory not only earned the Nuggets a 2-0 lead, but also showed the outside world the excellent resilience of their young players. On the other hand, the veterans in the Lakers may need to further learn lessons and increase their steady skills in controlling the game at critical moments in the future playoff journey.
After all, for any team, the road to winning the championship is often full of thorns, and only with sufficient psychological quality and decisive ability can we forge ahead in the face of many challenges and finally win the palace.
We believe that as the playoffs continue, players on both sides of the Lakers and Nuggets will benefit greatly from this workout and further improve their on-court adaptability. After all, great glory will always belong only to athletes who can always maintain a high level of concentration and ruthlessness under great pressure.