The Denver Nuggets out-hustled and overpowered the Los Angeles Lakers for three quarters, leading by as many as 21 at one point.
Even so, Darvin Ham’s team managed to find a way to fight their way back into the game, up to the point where they could’ve even tied the game with a three-pointer.
That’s why Shannon Sharpe believes Ham and the Lakers should feel quite confident about their chance in this series.
Sharpe stated that the Nuggets did everything almost perfectly and the Lakers still were in a position to even things up, so there’s no reason to think they can’t take them down in this series.
.@ShannonSharpe says the Lakers should be “encouraged” after Game 1:
“If I’m Darvin Ham, I’m not going back to the smallish lineup. I’m starting Rui; I loved the way he played!” pic.twitter.com/iVwhBc7IFH
— UNDISPUTED (@undisputed) May 17, 2023
Moreover, he added that Ham shouldn’t go back to that small lineup against the Nuggets, as they’re the best rebounding team in the postseason and have plenty of size with Michael Porter Jr., Aaron Gordon, and Nikola Jokic.
Instead, he’d like Ham to continue to roll with Rui Hachimura, who actually did a better job of guarding Jokic and gives the Lakers more size to match up with the Nuggets’ physical and imposing frontcourt.
Hachimura has had some big moments in the postseason, and he’s a big body that can hold his own better than Austin Reaves, even if he doesn’t give them as much on the offensive end of the floor.
Even so, the Lakers did allow the Nuggets to put up 132 points on 54% shooting, so they cannot afford to dig themselves into a hole early in the game again.
NEXT:
Insider Describes Victor Wembanyama’s Reaction To Draft Lottery
