As the Los Angeles Lakers prepare for a high-stakes matchup against the Denver Nuggets, Austin Reaves made it clear that the team is ready to compete. Following the Lakers’ 125-109 victory over the San Antonio Spurs, Reaves spoke in the postgame press conference about the challenge ahead against the defending champions.
“They are a really good team that has really good players that play really good together. I feel like we have the same, we gotta be locked in and ready to compete on both ends.”
When asked about whether previous postseason battles add intensity to this game, Reaves didn’t shy away from acknowledging the Lakers’ struggles against Denver.
“I don’t think so. I think every game is different, but you have the same mentality going in. And obviously they just kicked our ass the last couple of postseasons. And we wanna return the favor, but you wanna beat everybody you play.”
The Lakers (42-25) currently sit fourth in the Western Conference, while the Nuggets (44-25) hold the third spot. With this being the final regular-season meeting between the two teams, it carries significant weight in the standings. A Lakers win would even the season series at 2-2 and give them the tiebreaker advantage, which could prove crucial in playoff seeding.
Since the 2022-23 season, the Nuggets have dominated the Lakers, winning 14 of their last 18 meetings, including eight straight victories in the playoffs.
Denver swept the Lakers in the 2023 Western Conference Finals and then eliminated them again in five games in the first round of the 2024 playoffs. The Nuggets have been a nightmare matchup for the Lakers, with Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray consistently delivering big performances.
The Lakers have shown flashes of being able to challenge Denver, particularly in their last two meetings. In their most recent game, the Lakers nearly pulled off an upset despite being without four starters. Reaves was instrumental in that near-victory, showing his ability to step up in key moments.
Before that game, the Lakers delivered one of their most dominant performances of the season, destroying the Nuggets in Denver behind Luka Doncic and LeBron James. That win sent a message that, at full strength, the Lakers have what it takes to beat the former champions. Their defense was exceptional, limiting Denver’s offensive rhythm, while Doncic and James controlled the game on offense.
While LeBron James and Rui Hachimura are not expected to return for the upcoming game, Reaves believes they have what it takes to break Denver’s grip on them. The team will need to be locked in defensively and execute efficiently on offense, especially considering how well the Nuggets function as a unit.
The stakes are high, as a Lakers win not only cements them in the top four of the West but also gives them the psychological edge going into the playoffs. If the Lakers want to prove they are legitimate title contenders, this is the kind of game they must win.
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