Lakers vs Nuggets: It's about time LeBron James and his men iron out the rebounding issue ahead of Game 4
Familiar issues were one of the reasons for the Los Angeles Lakers' defeat, and we're not talking about the missed shots. Tuesday's (September 22) 106-114 defeat to the Denver Nuggets didn't just show the new gear Jamal Murray had, but also a valuable insight for the team on that one area where they could get the better of the Lakers — Rebounding. It wasn't surprising the Nuggets had a massive 44-25 rebounding advantage over LeBron James and the team.
While Anthony Davis may have chipped in with 27 points, his first rebound came in the fourth quarter which was quite late considering the fact they were actually lagging behind. Adding to this, the Lakers had 26 fouls, much than the rebounds they had in the game. LeBron contributed with 30 points to go with 11 assists and 10 rebounds. It is no surprise rebounds are an integral part of the game, however, fewer rebounds equate to less possession of the ball, and that stage, even a watertight defense wouldn't do much.
Game 2 was a close call for the Lakers. This one belonged to the Nuggets right from the start and despite the Lakers coming inches close to stealing the win in the fourth quarter, thanks to some solid plays by Rajon Rondo and LeBron, Murray's magic did it for the Nuggets. The other factor was the fatigue for both sides and that time possession plays a key role so as to just let the clock run out. Had the Lakers sorted their rebounding issues, the game would have possibly titled in their favor.
On a side note, the Lakers will also rue the missed three-pointer shot opportunities. The concern over them hitting the 3's accurately has been a topic of discussion since the regular season and Tuesday was an evening of cold shots. This was another area the Nuggets ruled in. Murray was the leading scorer with 28 points for the Nuggets. He found able assistance in Jerami Grant who scored a playoff career-high 26 points, while Nikola Jokic chipped in with 22 points and 10 rebounds.
It's not over for both sides yet and while the Nuggets will look to extend the winning run, the Lakers will hope to sort out their old issues ahead of Game 4.