Lakers vs. Nuggets: Western Conference Finals feature same big names as 2020, but some notable differences

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The Los Angeles Lakers and Denver Nuggets will meet in the Western Conference finals on Tuesday, and if you’re feeling a bit of deja vu, that’s because these two teams met in the conference finals back in 2020. When the NBA decided to resume its halted season due to the COVID pandemic in Orlando, the Nuggets and Lakers battled it out in five games where L.A. would go on to win the series and eventually beat the Miami Heat in the NBA Finals. 

Funny enough, the Eastern Conference Finals is also a rematch of the 2020 bubble between the Heat and Celtics, so there’s some real Groundhog Day stuff happening right now in the NBA. But while it’s natural to compare the two meetings in trying to draw conclusions about what we’re about to see, it’s pretty clear that the differences outweigh the similarities in this upcoming series.

For starters, only a handful of players remain the same on both sides. LeBron James and Anthony Davis are the only two holdovers from the Lakers’ 2020 championship team, while Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr. where the only ones around for the previous postseason meeting between Denver and L.A.

Roster construction is the most obvious difference between now and the 2020 Western Conference Finals, but there’s quite a few important ones that could shape this series. With that in mind, as we get ready for the Lakers and Nuggets to face off once again, let’s break down five of the top similarities and differences between the bubble matchup and what we’re about to witness in the 2023 Western Conference Finals. 

1. Davis should dominate like he did in 2020

The most tantalizing matchup in this series will be between Davis and Jokic. In 2020, Davis completely dominated the Nuggets, who didn’t have an adequate answer in trying to stop him. With limited options in the frontcourt, Davis averaged a team-high 31.2 points and 6.2 rebounds over the five games, while shooting 54.3% from the field. Oh, and he also drained this game-winning, buzzer-beating 3-pointer in Game 2 of that series to give the Lakers a…

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Source link : https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/lakers-vs-nuggets-western-conference-finals-feature-same-big-names-as-2020-but-some-notable-differences/

Author : Jasmyn Wimbish

Publish date : 2023-05-15 20:14:48

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