Game 2 of the NBA Western Conference Finals will once again be held at the Ball Arena. With the Denver Nuggets already 1-0 up in the series, they have a chance to extend their lead to make it 2-0. However, after the Lakers lost in Game 1, they should be well-motivated to tie the series. The Lakers won the first game in rounds 1 and 2 and lost Game 2. Nothing is going according to plan for the Los Angeles Lakers as things stand.
The Nuggets are a strong bunch of players, who only slipped up against the Phoenix Suns. They managed to blow up a 2-0 lead, with the Suns tieing it 2-2. However, they were quick to return to winning ways in the next two games. The wins ensured that the Nuggets would go through to the WCF. Nonetheless, they face the Lakers, who have recently found a rhythm in their game, and putting in great performances.
The Nuggets take a 1-0 series lead over the Lakers behind a Nikola Jokic MASTERCLASS 🃏
Jokic: 34 points, 21 rebounds, 14 assists
Murray: 31 points, 5 assists, 12-of-20 FG
Caldwell-Pope: 21 points, 9-of-17 FG pic.twitter.com/UctHt7MYet
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPointsApp) May 17, 2023
The Nuggets have Jamal Murray and Nikola Jokic as their best players. They combined for a total of 65 points in Game 1 against the Lakers, with the Joker putting in another triple-double performance. As for the Lakers, it will be LeBron James and Anthony Davis to lead the way, combining for 66 points in Game 1. However, the game was decided on the performances of their role players. Let’s take a look at the starting lineups for both teams.
Los Angeles Lakers starting lineups
- LeBron James (Probable)
- Jarred Vanderbilt
- Anthony Davis (Probable)
- Austin Reaves
- D’Angelo Russell
Denver Nuggets starting lineups
- Aaron Gordon
- Michael Porter Jr.
- Nikola Jokic
- Jamal Murray
- Kentavious Caldwell-Pope
Can the Los Angeles Lakers tie the series against the Denver Nuggets?
Certainly, it is not going to be a straightforward affair as we go deep into the series. The Lakers and the Nuggets are very similar teams, with different mentalities. the Nuggets know what it is like to keep the lead, as witnessed from the regular season. As for the Lakers, they’ve only won a dozen games, despite having James and Davis in their lineup. The Lakers simply lack the personality to maintain the charge.
With that said, they have surely shown some signs of playing terrific basketball when the night calls for it. We saw the role players turning on the heat for the Lakers in crucial games, and turning the tide in their favor. However, in front of the Nuggets, they will have to do it for 6 games straight. It could be a night we see just that, but that is slightly unlikely. Nevertheless, we will go with the Nuggets to double their lead in the series tonight.
