The Denver Nuggets Take Advantage of L.A. Lakers Flaws

A regular season problem cost the L.A. Lakers in Game Two of their playoff series with the Denver Nuggets. The Lakers have had a problem defending and extending a lead. And that problem cost the Lakers Game Two and allowed the Denver Nuggets return home with a split in games.

The Lakers might return back to Staples Center down three games to one, if the Nuggets can protect their home court.

In Game Two, during the first half, the Lakers were leading by fourteen points. Maintaining or extending that lead would have demoralized the Nuggets. It may have changed the complexion of the whole series. However, led by Carmelo Anthony and Chauncey Billups, the Nuggets cut the Lakers’ lead to one point by the half time break. As the Lakers defense relaxed with the fourteen point lead, the Nuggets had a 14 - 4 run to erase the Lakers’ lead.

Carmelo Anthony and Kobe Bryant were only separated by two points when the game concluded. However, the Lakers had some oddities:

• Both teams had fourteen foul shots in the fourth quarter. The Lakers were successful on nine while the Nuggets collected thirteen points from the foul line. In both Game One and Game Two, Pau Gasol missed two consecutive free throws in the fourth quarter. Undoubtedly, this is a factoid noted by the Denver coaching staff.
• Derek Fisher returned to his shooting slump. He was one for eight going into the last moments of the game. Derek Fisher took the last shot of the game for the Lakers and the shot did not touch the iron, the backboard nor the netting. Then, it was one for nine. Why is it that the person who is in a shooting slump takes the game’s last shot?
• Kobe Bryant, presently reputed to be basketball’s best closer, did not touch the ball for the last two possessions of the game.
• Pau Gasol played forty four minutes. He took eight shots. Andrew Bynum played eighteen minutes and he had eight shots. Have the Lakers lost faith in Pau Gasol? If the Lakers cannot (or will not) deliver the ball to Pau Gasol, it is ‘advantage Nuggets‘.
• Sasha Vujacic continues with his shooting woes. He played six minutes and missed four shots. His point production was zero. Can the Lakers coaches risk more minutes on Sasha Vujacic? And, will sitting him further erode his confidence?
• The Lakers must have extensive scouting reports on the Nuggets. They have to know that Linas Kleiza can score from beyond the three point line. Even when Linas Kleiza’s shots were falling through the hoop, the Lakers did not - or could not - prevent a sixteen point outburst. He shot four for seven from beyond the three point line.

The Lakers seem to be worse when they have a lead. They tend to relax and go away from playing the style that produced the lead. Perhaps it is a lack of focus or a purported lack of a “killer instinct”. That will be part of the post-mortem if the Lakers fail to advance.

Meanwhile, the Lakers need to win at least one of the next two game in Denver. It would be a onerous task to return to Los Angeles trailing three games to one - and needing to win three consecutive playoff games against these Nuggets. On the bright side, the Lakers could be going to Denver trailing by two games, instead of having the series at one game apiece. Perhaps that is the optimistic approach.

Catherine Forsythe