Although the Lakers ultimately failed to prevent their fourth straight loss, their performance in their final road game was impressive. Despite their depleted roster, the Lakers showed admirable fighting spirit and resilience. The result of this game was not important; what really mattered was the spirit they showed.
1. Facing the Nuggets with a depleted roster, the process is more important than the result
No one had high hopes for the Lakers in Denver. After all, the Nuggets were playing with a full squad, while the Lakers were missing key players such as James. The game started off as expected – the Nuggets were in the lead. However, the Lakers did not give up easily and held on until the very last minute, even going ahead by three points at one point. Unfortunately, Jokic hit a crucial three-pointer to tie the score, Murray then sank the game-winner with 6 seconds left, and Westbrook followed with a steal and fast break to seal the game, which ended 131-126.
No one would blame this Lakers team for losing the game, because they gave it their all. The game was full of twists and turns, completely unexpected, and the Lakers even had a chance to beat the Nuggets again.
2. Reeves single-handedly leads the team, with rookies and substitutes all playing
In this game, the Lakers could only rely on Reeves to carry the team. The young guard scored 37 points and dished out 13 assists, almost completing a triple-double, which was a very impressive performance. However, who were his teammates?
- Rookie Conwright was in charge of the ball;
- Milton occasionally shared the organizing tasks;
- Goodwin defended against Murray;
- Vanderbilt provided some experience, but had limited ability to handle the ball;
- Even fringe players like Brownie scored 5 points!
It can be said that this is a “put together” team, just like David facing Goliath, with a huge disparity in strength. But it is precisely this group of players who rarely play normally who have shown amazing energy and resilience in the game.
3. Westbrook’s “catfish effect”: passion and hidden dangers
Westbrook’s performance in this game was typical: he was both the key figure in the Lakers’ turnaround and an important reason for the subsequent comeback by the opponent.
First half:
Westbrook was firing on all cylinders, hitting three 3-pointers and scoring many fast-break points to help the Lakers take the lead. His positive attitude infected the whole team, especially when the Nuggets were slacking, and he had the “catfish effect”. At the end of the first half, Westbrook had scored 15 points, the highest plus/minus rating on the team, and had contributed 5 assists and only 1 turnover.
Second half:
However, when the Nuggets adjusted their strategy, Westbrook still maintained his high-intensity play, but failed to control the rhythm. He missed a series of three-pointers from the outside, and made a number of mistakes on the break, causing the Lakers to gradually lose their lead. It wasn’t until 7:25 in the fourth quarter that the teams were back on an even keel (105-105).
Nevertheless, Westbrook remained an unignorable presence. In the final moments of the game, he proved his worth with a steal: “No matter what happens, I’m still the Thunder.”
4. Youngsters and role players’ hard work saved the strategic blunder
The Lakers need to reflect on their strategic choices in the past four road games. Losing to the Celtics and Bucks is understandable, but why did they lose to the Nets? This loss directly led to their having to rest many of their starters in the second game of the back-to-back against the Nuggets.
Fortunately, however, the Lakers’ young players and fringe players made up for the coaching staff’s poor decision-making with their own hard work. This game showed us two things:
- The ability of Redick as interim head coach has been proven;
- The confidence and momentum accumulated from the previous eight-game winning streak is still there.
5. Looking ahead: the Lakers face a tough challenge
Currently, the Lakers have been squeezed to the end of the second group in the West, only two and a half wins ahead of the Warriors, who are at the top of the third group. If the Lakers lose three more games and the Warriors win three, the two teams’ rankings will switch. Next, the Lakers will play two sets of back-to-back games within five days, which will be a huge test of physical fitness and tactical arrangements.
It is clear that relying solely on the fighting spirit of the young players is no longer enough. The Lakers need to get back into shape as soon as possible, while allocating resources reasonably to avoid further decline.
Conclusion: The NBA is a place of miracles, and the Lakers never give up
This game proves that the NBA is a place of miracles. No matter how weak the lineup is, as long as you give it your all, you can create a miracle. Although the Lakers have suffered four consecutive defeats, they have shown us with their actions that even if they lose, they will leave the arena with their heads held high.
