In Game 1, Rui Hachimura was key for the Lakers down the stretch of the game. Defensively, he gave Nikola Jokic a hard time and was enough of a disruptor to bring the Lakers back in the game. So, ahead of Game 2, fans expected that he’d be leaned on pretty heavily to help give the Lakers an edge.
Surprisingly, Rui didn’t get the start, but he came in later and made an enormous impact on the game, finishing the first half with 17 points on 100% shooting. He was feeling so hot after the first two quarters, that he apparently felt like calling out the Nuggets and throwing some shade toward 2x MVP Nikola Jokic.
“I’m just trying to attack the rim. They don’t have a rim protector, so that’s what I’m doing right now.”
Rui Hachimura on his approach against the Nuggets:
"They don't have a rim protector" pic.twitter.com/F0uvMsgpoQ
— Ahn Fire Digital (@AhnFireDigital) May 19, 2023
Hachimura didn’t call out anybody by name, but dismissing the Nuggets as rim protectors when they have 2x MVP Nikola Jokic is quite a strong statement, even if it’s not completely wrong.
The question is, how will the Joker respond? While he continues to rise to the occasion offensively, he is getting exposed to a degree on the other end as Rui, LeBron James, and Anthony Davis carve them up on the interior.
Is Rui Hachimura The New Jokic Stopper?
At this point, it’s too early to say who will win this series, but the Lakers may have found something with Rui. He’s clearly somebody that can give Jokic some problems, and the Lakers thrive when he’s on the floor. He can hit his shots and also get in Nikola’s face on the other end, he may end up becoming one of the most important players in this series.
“I was just trying to get into his knees,” Hachimura said. “It was part of our game plan and we talked about it before the game. The coaches told me that I’m gonna guard Jokic too and I think it was a good plan. I think the second half we did a pretty good job on him.”
It looks like Rui’s Game 1 masterpiece was not a fluke, and it will be interesting to see how Denver attempts to deal with him throughout the series. For now, maybe Jokic can use some of his words as motivation to help pull out a win in Game 2.
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