Speaking ahead of the Lakers‘ showdown against the Denver Nuggets on Saturday, NBA swingman Rui Hachimura opened up on how it’s a big test for his team. It’s the first time that the Lakers are facing the Nuggets since the 2024 playoffs and Rui is eager to show off how much they’ve improved.
“These past two years we’ve been struggling to play against them, so tonight we have to show what we’ve been working on. I think our chemistry is way better than before, so tonight’s going to be a good test for us,” said Rui via LoJo Media.
Over the past few years, the Lakers have really struggled to beat the Nuggets. Back in 2023, they were swept in the Western Conference Finals, and Nikola Jokic went on to win his first NBA championship. Last season, even though some say the Lakers should have won the series, they were sent home early again by the Nuggets who beat them in 5 games to advance to the Western Semi-Finals.
But after adding rookie Dalton Knecht, and replacing head coach Darvin Ham with JJ Redick, the Lakers are confident that this season will be a different story. At 10-5, and 4th in the West, the Lakers are on a positive trajectory right now and their biggest test of the season is finally here.
Against the Nuggets (with Nikola Jokic in full MVP form), the Lakers will have a chance to show just how far they’ve come and just how much the team has changed since the last time they clashed. If the Lakers can come out with a convincing victory, it will put them right back in the championship picture this season.
Rui, 26, is still working his way back to form after suffering a sprained ankle. Tonight, he’s set to re-take his place in the starting lineup for this important matchup and it will give the team a much-needed boost in the frontcourt. Cam Reddish can slide to the bench where he can D’Angelo Russell can wreak havoc against the Nuggets.
Of course, the impact of JJ Redick might been enough to notice a massive difference. He’s got the Lakers playing with intention and purpose on the court, which is more than could be said for Darvin Ham, who quickly wore out his welcome in the Lakers’ locker room.
It’s fresh vibes for the Lakers and they can prove it if they take care of business against a team that they’ve historically struggled with. Fortunately, at full strength, the Lakers will have nothing held back against the Nuggets and we’ll get to see them for who they really are soon enough.
Clearly, the Lakers feel that something is different this season and you could see it with the way that LeBron James and Anthony Davis are competing on the floor. Everyone’s completely locked in and it will be telling to see how they stack up against the Nuggets this season, who are 6th in the West at 8-6.
After the Nuggets tonight, the Lakers will hear out to Phoenix to face the Suns on Tuesday, November 26th, at Footprint Center at 10:00 PM EST. They battle the Spurs on the 27th at Frost Bank Center before hosting the Thunder on Friday, November 29th, at Cyrpto.com arena at 10:0m PM EST.
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