4 players most to blame for possible Nuggets sweep

[ad_1]

The Los Angeles Lakers are set to be swept away by the Denver Nuggets after losing Game 3 of the Western Conference Finals, 119-108. The Lakers have now lost three straight games and are in danger of being knocked out on their home turf in Game 4. Here we’ll take a look at the four Los Angeles Lakers players who are most responsible for a possible Denver Nuggets sweep.

LeBron James and Anthony Davis have been the Lakers’ biggest stars, but they haven’t been able to lead the team to victory in this series yet. James is averaging 23.7 points, 9.3 rebounds and 10.3 assists per game in the series, while Davis is averaging 28.7 points, 14.0 rebounds and 2.7 blocks per game. However, the Lakers were unable to get enough consistent production from their supporting cast.

The Lakers just struggled to defend the Nuggets’ guards. Jamal Murray, Bruce Brown and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope were able to go to the rim at will. They also hit three-pointers at a high rate. The Lakers also struggled to bounce the ball. The Nuggets have passed the Lakers in two of three games in the series. They also got second chance opportunities which led to points. The Lakers were also unable to get enough production from their bench. The Nuggets got a lot of production from their bench, and that was a major difference in the series.

The Lakers face an uphill battle in Game 4, but they still have a chance to avoid a sweep. If the Lakers can get a big game out of James and Davis, and if they can get more production from their supporting cast, they could pull off the upset. However, it will be a tough task against a Nuggets side that are playing with a lot of confidence.

There are a number of Lakers players who are responsible for their team’s current situation. Here are four of the people who have been most responsible for the Lakers’ struggles this series.

1. Darwin Ham

Head coach Darvin Ham made the same costly mistakes in the Western Conference final against the Nuggets. The first is that he started games with a small roster, which allowed the Nuggets to dominate inside.

Ham is a rookie NBA head coach, and it shows. He didn’t really adjust his game plan to counter the size and strength of the Nuggets. In Game 1, the Lakers trailed 16 points at halftime after starting with a small roster. They returned to a bigger formation in the second half and nearly came back, but it was too late.

The same thing happened in Game 2. The Lakers led by 11 points in the third quarter, but they got small again and the Nuggets came back to win. The same scenario happened in Game 3 when LeBron James finished the third quarter with straight triples and Ham went small in the fourth. Instead of DAngelo Russell, Ham is expected to start Dennis Schroder. Rui Hachimura is also expected to replace Jarred Vanderbilt, who gets a few minutes despite being a starter, likely due to his offensive shortcomings. Ham are also expected to give Tristan Thompson more minutes. Thompson is a good rebounder and defender, and he can help the Lakers slow down the Nuggets’ offense.

2. D’Angelo Russell

DAngelo Russell was one of the Lakers’ most disappointing playoff players. Russell is averaging 7.0 points per game in the series, but he’s only shot 29.6 percent from the field and 14.3 percent from three-point range.

DAngelo Russell is on the court practicing after the Lakers fell to an 0-3 hole against the Nuggets pic.twitter.com/mrrN8y7ARi

Sports Illustrated (@SInow) May 21, 2023

3.Dennis Schroder

Dennis Schroder was also a disappointment for the Lakers on the series. Schroder is averaging 5.0 points per game in the series, but he’s only shot 35.3 percent from the field and 28.6 percent from three-point range. Schroder was also unable to slow Murray down. The Canadian has just possessed the German in this game.

4. Jarred Vanderbuilt

Jarred Vanderbilt was a non-factor for the Lakers against the Nuggets. Vanderbilt is averaging 2.0 points and 1.3 rebounds per game in the series. He has also been a liability on defense, allowing his opponents to shoot over 50.0% from the field when guarding them.

Overall, the Lakers need to make some changes if they want to avoid a sweep. They need to find a way to slow down Nuggets guards, they need to bounce the ball better, and they need to get more production from their bench. If they can do these things, they will have a chance to win Game 4 and keep their season alive.

[ad_2]