Yesterday’s Results for Denver Nuggets vs Los Angeles Lakers

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Analysis: Gold Standard on LA Lakers This has been an extremely competitive series with both teams making key adjustments and big-time plays. The Nuggets have yet to put together a solid first-half performance and have taken advantage of a Lakers team that has struggled to close out games. The Lakers have actually been in six out of eight quarters of play. The Lakers have defended Jamal Murray very well but Michael Porter Jr. is lighting them up from three and Nikola Jokic is dominating the paint. The Lakers were in this same situation last season and they know this is a must-win game at home. A loss on Thursday would require them to win the next four games, with two of those being played in Denver. I expect LeBron James and Anthony Davis to come out with even more intensity and to will the Lakers to a win. The key for the Lakers in this game will be the play of Rui Hachimura. The Nuggets made a switch in Game 2 and had Jokic guard Hachimura instead of Davis and they need to take advantage of that mismatch in Game 3. Jokic has been doing everything for the Nuggets in this series and Hachimura needs to be attacking him from the jump and either scoring/playmaking or getting Jokic in foul trouble. The Lakers have played really good defensively but this matchup has been about limiting their mistakes and making key plays down the stretch. The Lakers have failed to do both but they will be ready to snap this losing streak against the Nuggets and turn this series around.