As the Lakers continue their magical run through the Western Conference, they are facing perhaps their biggest challenge yet against the top-seeded Denver Nuggets. As the 7th seed in the West, L.A. will have their hands full trying to stop Nikola Jokic, and LeBron James wants to make sure his guys are fully prepared for the battles to come.
Speaking to the media ahead of Tuesday’s Game 1, LeBron spoke candidly about the upcoming series and what message he has for his young teammates about what to expect next.
“As hard as were thought level two was, it’s gonna be even harder in this round. That doesn’t take away anything from Golden State because I know, I’ve had my battle switch that franchise, so I know how hard it is. But as you continue to go up and up into the numbers, level three is just a difficult challenge. Both teams are one step away from having an opportunity to play for what they started in the beginning of the year and that’s the Larry O’Brien trophy. So it becomes very challenging.”
— Mimi (@ItsShowTimeMimi) May 15, 2023
In contrast to Ja Morant’s “I’m fine in the West” comments, LeBron is making sure he doesn’t underestimate the competition. While Nikola Jokic and the Nuggets may not have the same pedigree as LeBron and some of his teammates, it will only make them hungrier to finish the job and complete what they started.
Can The Lakers Win The Conference Finals This Year?
It’s hard to believe that LeBron is this deep into the playoffs at almost 40 years old, but his rebellion against father time has made him an exception to all the rules. Plus, with the way Anthony Davis has been playing, James no longer has to be the team’s best player for them to win four out of seven games.
Either way, the Lakers cannot afford to get cute against this Nuggets team and Bron knows this more than anyone.
“They’re a better team,” James said on the 2023 Nuggets. “Obviously, they are more experienced. Every game, every matchup allows you to grow as a franchise and as a team and they’ve done that. We come in with the utmost respect for this team and I’m looking forward to the matchup.”
We will see if the Lakers can get past this latest obstacle, but they will need everything to go right for them to come out on top. This year, Jokic isn’t messing around, and he has finally got enough help to show the world that he can win big when it matters.
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