Denver – Lakers coach JJ Redick has recently repeated a Lyric from an old Jay Z song: “It was all a week ago.”
When the game came against the Denver Nuggets on Friday, it was not good for the Lakers. They went into a three-game defeat. You were three starters in LeBron James, Rui Hachimura and Jaxson Hayes. A fourth, Luka Doncic, was sitting on the second night of a back-to-back. Two other important rotary players, Dorian Finney-Smith and Gabe Vincent, were also not available because they managed long-term injuries.
A week ago, the Lakers were mostly healthy and flew to Boston with a winning streak with eight games. A week ago they climbed into the overall ranking and did not slip.
But even if the staff did not reflect the Lakers from a week ago, the team at least did the energy, and the team pushed the nuggets over four quarters before making too many mistakes in a loss of 131-126.
“I am proud of the group for the fight and the resistance,” said Redick.
Nuggets stars Jamal Murray and Nikola Jokic organized a pick-and-roll and opened Murray with a 5.6 second lead over a clean view of a three pointer. As if he has so often against the Lakers, the Point Guard hit the big shot.
Austin Reaves, who ended his rookie season with a 31-point triple double in Denver, almost led the Lakers (40-25) to the surprise and achieved 37 together with 13 templates and eight rebounds. Dalton Knecht, who started near his hometown, had his most points since mid -November with 32, and Shake Milton scored 16 from the bank.
Knecht scored his last two points on a dark and endured awkward on his back and on his head. He could stay in the game.
“I told him in the Huddle, I said:” Hey, if you want to shoot it, shoot it. I don’t care if you shoot it 35 times, we need every bucket you can get, ”said Knecht. “So he is a hooper.”
The Lakers led in the last minute before a Jokic three-point game and Murray’s triple. All five starters achieved double-digit numbers for Denver (43-24).
Reaves, who had to go to his right wrist after the loss of the Lakers in Milwaukee on Thursday, said he was not sure if he would play, but ultimately the chance to compete.
“We know when we are healthy and everyone in the team has that we have a really good chance of beating someone,” said Reaves. “I only see this group that comes together and blocked a common goal and that should win. And tonight I think this is the greatest evidence. Very short and went and played a really good basketball team with probably the best player in the world. And went on toes and had the opportunity to win it and just didn’t do the last 50 seconds. “
He played 39 minutes.
“Certainly he asked a lot about him on the second night of a back back, not only in the 40 minutes, but only in the vast majority of the game tasks,” said Redick. “And I thought he did an excellent job.”
The Lakers had the chance to force overtime, but they could not bring the Inbound’s pass to Reaves, with Russell Westbrook getting the theft and the Dunking in the last seconds.
Before the game was optimistic again next week that the Lakers will get more help when the team in Los Angeles plays five games, including a few Sunday and Monday and Wednesday and Thursday to wrap a route in which they will play six times in eight days.
The Lakers have been the first team since 2022 to play six games in eight days and played a game with the San Antonio Spurs, which was postponed during the forest fires in January.
They return to LA in a seasonal four-game defeat in a season-to-enthusiast, with some time in full health.
“We went 0-4, so it’s a pretty bad journey. But … JJ said: “A week ago, everyone like Lakers in five.” So we just don’t hear any of it, ”said Reaves.
(Tagstotranslate) Lakers (T) Denver
