Lakers vs Nuggets - 2/22/2025 GT (Battle of the Balkan Brothers)

[90sgoat]

Who is watching the Lakers vs Nuggets tonight?

Might be a preview of a playoff matchup.

[90sgoat]

16 points Luka first quarter.

[Neal Romer]

Mask did his thing and got Luka off the schnide.

Ya love to see it.

[Full Court]

Nuggets shouldn't have let KCP go. He's underrated, and they're noticeably worse without him.

[Phoenix]

16 points Luka first quarter.

Much, much better bounce in his step tonight.

[90sgoat]

Nuggets look better than last year for sure.

[90sgoat]

Luka to Lebron on the break is shades of the Heatles. Going to get a lot of easy points like that.

[ShawkFactory]

Bron and Luka playing well together tonight.

[highwhey]

fun game so far

[Phoenix]

Bron and Luka playing well together tonight.

Has Bron even brought the ball up once so far? I've missed a couple of plays but from what I've seen he's been completely off the ball.

Also, Lakers have been very pesky and active defensively,

[tontoz]

Nuggets shouldn't have let KCP go. He's underrated, and they're noticeably worse without him.

KCP is too small to guard Ant. KCP was pretty lame in the playoffs.

Plus Denver has cap issues.

[tontoz]

Luka doesn't look that big to me. They were acting like he was way overweight. I don't see it.

[90sgoat]

Luka doesn't look that big to me. They were acting like he was way overweight. I don't see it.

Looks in shape, even better than previous seasons.

[Im Still Ballin]

Luka definitely matches up against Denver better than AD does. I think he gives LA the edge now.

[90sgoat]

Luka definitely matches up against Denver better than AD does. I think he gives LA the edge now.

Lakers are so much better than Mavs supporting cast it's not even comparable.

Mavs supporting cast got hyped way too much.

[1987_Lakers]

Luka definitely matches up against Denver better than AD does. I think he gives LA the edge now.

AD couldn't handle the Nuggets. He was great against teams like the Warriors, but Jokic always schooled him.

[Phoenix]

https://media.tenor.com/c5nYkEieoxAAAAAM/water-cup.gif

[90sgoat]

Great game.

If Lebron can deal with playing like this, then they can definitely be a contender.

[Kblaze8855]

Luka doesn't look that big to me. They were acting like he was way overweight. I don't see it.

https://www.hostpic.org/images/2502230929250337.jpeg

[Im Still Ballin]

AD couldn't handle the Nuggets. He was great against teams like the Warriors, but Jokic always schooled him.

Yeah, and I felt like Denver always exposed his poor transition defense. Jokic would routinely beat him down the floor.

[90sgoat]

Luka now gets 2 steals a game, that's solid.

[Phoenix]

Quiet in here tonight. All the narrative spinners take the night off?

[90sgoat]

https://www.hostpic.org/images/2502230929250337.jpeg

:roll:

[999Guy]

Yeah the Lakers having the #1 defense in the past 15 games is a serious problem.

Davis has been out/traded for most of that time. I have no idea how this is even possible. But forget about what he shot from the field, they held Jokic to 7 shots. Insanity.

This is a very serious problem. I don't see how anyone outside OKC can beat Luka/LeBron + a top 5 defense.

[1987_Lakers]

Quiet in here tonight. All the narrative spinners take the night off?

Tough night for full court

[sdot_thadon]

Quiet in here tonight. All the narrative spinners take the night off?

All got exposed. They're in the war room brainstorming the next shit take lol.

[sdot_thadon]

Great game.

If Lebron can deal with playing like this, then they can definitely be a contender.

What do you mean "if he can deal with playing like this? How the hell you think AD and AR were both able to have the season they've had up to this point wtf?

[Phoenix]

Tough night for full court

Luuuuuukaaa

https://media3.giphy.com/media/v1.Y2lkPTc5MGI3NjExenZsdGNyNm9kbGl6cHk0NTR2d2s5ZHB vaHExZG0yeHB5cnBpaTRqZSZlcD12MV9pbnRlcm5hbF9naWZfY nlfaWQmY3Q9Zw/l4Ki2UBDUhRjvmC7m/giphy.gif

[highwhey]

https://www.hostpic.org/images/2502230929250337.jpeg

:oldlol:

[Phoenix]

All got exposed. They're in the war room brainstorming the next shit take lol.

Luka 32/10/7
Lebron 25/9/5
Reaves 23/7/4
Rui 21/4

Narrative spinners attempting to calculate all the cratered teammates:
https://i.makeagif.com/media/8-27-2021/lWYCon.gif (/gif/kid-doing-math-meme-lWYCon)

[1987_Lakers]

Austin Reaves is quickly becoming one of my all-time favorite Lakers. He keeps getting better and better every year. Not afraid of the big moment either, he's like our Manu.

[sdot_thadon]

Luka 32/10/7
Lebron 25/9/5
Reaves 23/7/4
Rui 21/4

Narrative spinners attempting to calculate all the cratered teammates:
https://i.makeagif.com/media/8-27-2021/lWYCon.gif (/gif/kid-doing-math-meme-lWYCon)

And they only look like that because they base all opinion and takes on "i hate Lebron" 1st rather than leading with common sense.

[sdot_thadon]

Austin Reaves is quickly becoming one of my all-time favorite Lakers. He keeps getting better and better every year. Not afraid of the big moment either, he's like our Manu.

Hes figured out how to manipulate defenders and draw fouls despite not being all that fast. I agree though he's become very Manu-esque.

[ShawkFactory]

Luka 32/10/7
Lebron 25/9/5
Reaves 23/7/4
Rui 21/4

Narrative spinners attempting to calculate all the cratered teammates:
https://i.makeagif.com/media/8-27-2021/lWYCon.gif (/gif/kid-doing-math-meme-lWYCon)

Nah obviously to them the team was clearly stacked the whole time and this is what should have happened.

You should know the damage control crowd works every possible angle so they can’t lose.

[Phoenix]

Nah obviously to them the team was clearly stacked the whole time and this is what should have happened.

You should know the damage control crowd works every possible angle so they can’t lose.

Ahhh yes. Either he craters them, or he got carried. Gotta cover all the bases.....

[Neal Romer]

Luka doesn't look that big to me. They were acting like he was way overweight. I don't see it.

I think part of it visually was that weird padded undersleeve he'd been wearing. He not only looked aesthetically leaner without it tonight, but seemed to play less constricted as well.

[Neal Romer]

https://www.hostpic.org/images/2502230929250337.jpeg


:roll:

[EllEffEll]

The Lakers put one on the Nuggets tonight (in Denver too), but damn, they were way overdue. Denver pooped their pants a bit tonight, maybe felt a bit overconfident and who could blame them? They have had the laker's number for several years. Just being honest, this game probably meant more to the Lakers than it did to the Nuggets, and it showed.

[Lebron23]

Lakers with their best win of the season against Denver. 123-100

[Neal Romer]

The Lakers put one on the Nuggets tonight (in Denver too), but damn, they were way overdue. Denver pooped their pants a bit tonight, maybe felt a bit overconfident and who could blame them? They have had the laker's number for several years. Just being honest, this game probably meant more to the Lakers than it did to the Nuggets, and it showed.

One game is certainly not the be-all/end-all, but at the same time I didnt see a Nuggets team that was lacking for effort. They played hard and made runs throughout the game to close the gap, and each time LA found a way to create a little bit of separation once again.

Now obviously if this was a playoff series Denver would have a chance to adjust and come back with a response. And maybe they would come up with some solutions. But I dont think the Lakers win was about lopsided effort. They just looked like the slightly better team. For now.

[SouBeachTalents]

Didn't catch the game tonight, Jokic took just 7 shots, against that Lakers frontcourt? What happened?

[Im Still Ballin]

Didn't catch the game tonight, Jokic took just 7 shots, against that Lakers frontcourt? What happened?

Had about three bodies on him at all times. Heavy fronting + help defense in the post. Instant doubles if he got the ball in his spots. Covered the gaps well to limit his passing. Physical defense.

[Neal Romer]

Had about three bodies on him at all times. Heavy fronting + help defense in the post. Instant doubles if he got the ball in his spots. Covered the gaps well to limit his passing. Physical defense.

When it comes to guarding bigs there does seem to be an idea that leverage trumps height. Russell, Rodman, Draymond were all somewhat undersized. Baron and Captain Jack gave Dirk trouble. Tony Allen was KD's bête noir. KAT did a better job on Jokic last year than Toody.

Tall guys make better help side shot blockers but 1 on 1 a guy who's lower to the ground is harder to move, and also harder to protect your dribble from.

[Axe]

Didn't catch the game tonight, Jokic took just 7 shots, against that Lakers frontcourt? What happened?
He's starting to feel old.

[Lebron23]

Thinking Basketball is my favorite YouTube channel. I hope they made a video about the Lakers shutting down Jokic, and the Nuggets.

[tpols]

AD couldn't handle the Nuggets. He was great against teams like the Warriors, but Jokic always schooled him.

AD didn't even guard Jokic full time in their H2H playoff matchups. He was used as help rim defender to double if Jokic got close.

Regardless jokic making only two shots in a game he played full time is a fluke. Especially against this Laker defense which although they played good last night, simply is not a talented defensive team.

Nuggets looked like they didn't show up at all to play while Lakers have something to prove... first game with Luka and Lebron vs a good team. Denver didn't match their intensity at all.

[tpols]

Yeah the Lakers having the #1 defense in the past 15 games is a serious problem.

Davis has been out/traded for most of that time. I have no idea how this is even possible. But forget about what he shot from the field, they held Jokic to 7 shots. Insanity.

This is a very serious problem. I don't see how anyone outside OKC can beat Luka/LeBron + a top 5 defense.

They're not going to be a top 5 defense in the playoffs. They have no rim protection whatsoever and a rookie coach that doesn't even know how to coach defense at a high level.

The reason for that recent rank is their recent competition ~ when you play teams like the Jazz, Blazers, Hornets, Wizards etc. over and over it's going to inflate a small sample size. Their schedule the past month has been incredibly soft.

That being said having three guys who can blow up on offense any given game will still make them dangerous.

[BarberSchool]

Didn't catch the game tonight, Jokic took just 7 shots, against that Lakers frontcourt? What happened?lakers kept at least two frontcourt-sized-players in Jokic body from multiple directions all night. Dared Westbrick, Braun, and Porter Jr to beat them.

Gave up a few Gordon dunks and Murray threes, but stayed closer to Murray on the perimeter in the 2nd half, and sagged hard off everyone else, to crowd the living fu@k out of Jokic, with Hachimura/Hayes/Dodo/Bran/Luka. Used their fouls well on Jokic. Vanderbilt got 5 fouls in 6min lol. But it was a decent six minutes lmmfao.

[Lebron23]

https://youtu.be/Wxw2z1-9siU?si=jxmlHgts4Mgv0vqG JJ Reddick did his home work
https://youtu.be/Wxw2z1-9siU?si=jxmlHgts4Mgv0vqG

[BarberSchool]

https://youtu.be/Wxw2z1-9siU?si=jxmlHgts4Mgv0vqG JJ Reddick did his home work
https://youtu.be/Wxw2z1-9siU?si=jxmlHgts4Mgv0vqG


https://youtu.be/g7LOzA6VAJU?feature=shared

[1987_Lakers]

AD didn't even guard Jokic full time in their H2H playoff matchups. He was used as help rim defender to double if Jokic got close.

Why do you think that is? This became the strategy after Jokic smoked AD in the beginning of the 2022 series.

Even in the Olympics you saw Kerr start the game with Embiid instead of AD whenever the team USA played Serbia & LeBron was the one who shut him down Jokic in the 4th quarter in the semi finals game.

[RRR3]

https://images-ext-1.discordapp.net/external/bnt42DvCIM9MLYvEnmR6qoCWA6pNKx5sHlEvVowgVxE/https/i.ibb.co/s97CCxzt/the-shining-axe.gif

[Lebron23]

Total Team Defensive effort by the Los Angeles Lakers. They shut down Jokic. First time I saw Jokic getting frustrated since the Lakers and nuggets series in 2020.
https://youtu.be/rsf84_ZEFwk?si=tTF72YByzV4jQTZI

[Axe]

Tough night for full court
Lmao.

https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTgJlaYykOeriV0g-CmztDbyLIB7OzQHuDISg&usqp=CAU