Lakers exceed all expectations despite four-game sweep by Nuggets in Western Conference Finals
LOS ANGELES — The Lakers' season and Finals aspirations officially closed on Monday as they fell to the Denver Nuggets 113-111 in a four-game sweep.
With a 0.3% chance to make the playoffs after starting the season at 2-10, the Lakers exceeded all expectations by making it to the Western Conference Finals.
Although the goal is always championship or bust, with LeBron James leading the charge, the Lakers were not even considered a playoff team in the second half of the season. Their maneuvers at the trade deadline got them the right players they needed to be successful now and in the future, making for a promising 2023–24 season.
To get to the Western Conference Finals, the Lakers had to surpass two of the best teams in the West: the Memphis Grizzlies and the Golden State Warriors. Which is something that shouldn't get overlooked by this 2022 Lakers team. They battled their hearts out and played the Lakers' way till the end.
“This is year one. Losing sucks, but I think we have an opportunity to do something special here, also. We just got to build off this,” said head coach Darvin Ham.
The Nuggets will play in the NBA Finals for the first time in their franchise's history, and star center Nikola Jokic was awarded the Earvin Magic Johnson Western Conference Finals MVP for his historic playoff run in the West.
The Lakers brought early intensity, displaying high energy, and secured a commanding 15-point lead by halftime. The relentless firepower of the Nuggets was too much for the Lakers in the third quarter. Being outscored 36-16 during that period spelled the end of the Lakers’ season.
LeBron started the game with a purpose, putting on a do-or-die performance with 31 points in the first half and playing 47 of the possible 48 minutes of the game.
“We had a great run, but we fell short of our goal, said LeBron. “Which is winning championships.”
LeBron finished with a game-high 40 points, 10 rebounds, nine assists, and two steals while shooting 4-for-7 from three for 57.1% and 15-for-25 overall for 60%.
After a cryptic final message to his presser, LeBron hinted about how much thinking he has personally surrounding basketball.
“I got a lot to think about. Just personally, with me moving forward with the game of basketball, I got a lot to think about,” said LeBron.
It was also reported minutes later by NBA insider Chris Haynes that LeBron is unsure if he’ll be with the team when the 2023–24 season starts in the fall and that retirement is under consideration.
After a slow three quarters, Anthony Davis’ resurgence in the fourth quarter, where he scored 10 points, was a little too late as Denver capitalized on the Lakers' inability to match them back and forth.
“It hurts right now. It’s tough. Credit to Denver, they’re a great team,” said Davis. “Their players played well throughout the series. It hurts, it stings, you gotta carry it into next season and use it as fuel.”
Davis finished with 21 points, 14 rebounds, and three blocks in 40 minutes.
Davis’ inconsistent performance throughout the series significantly contributed to the Lakers’ underwhelming success. Despite his impressive 40-point performance in Game 1, the Nuggets strategically adjusted their game plan to neutralize Davis, leading to a turnaround in the series.
Game 1: 40 PTS and 10 REBS
Game 2: 18 PTS and 14 REBS
Game 3: 28 PTS and 18 REBS
Game 4: 21 PTS and 14 REBS
Austin Reaves’ heart and determination from the beginning of the season to the end was an exciting ride to witness, as the sophomore made an underrated leap in year two. Reaves proved to those who followed that he is the type of player you want in your franchise with his rare motor and competitiveness.
Reaves finished with 17 points on 6-for-11 shooting for 54.5% with three assists and two rebounds in 40 minutes.
With solid performances in his matchup with Jokic for the first three games of the series, Rui Hachimura finally got the nod in the starting lineup for the first time.
Hachimura finished with 10 points and seven rebounds on a struggling 3-for-12 shooting from the floor for 25%.
Reaves and Hachimura are the Lakers' top priorities this offseason to re-sign and match any offers they receive from opposing NBA teams.
With a full offseason, adding a few pieces, and retaining core players, this team can be very dangerous next season with added chemistry.
Thank you for tuning in and following my report on the Lakers all season. I appreciate you forever and always.
Let’s head into the Lakers' offseason.
