The NBA regular season rolled on, but the Los Angeles Lakers faced a tough setback on Saturday night in Denver. Following a string of promising victories, the team faltered against the reigning champion Nuggets, falling 127-106. The loss dropped their record to 10-6 and raised concerns on three times NBA champion with the Lakers James Worthy about the consistency of key players like Anthony Davis, who had an off-night.
Despite LeBron James putting up a solid 18 points, the Lakers couldn’t overcome the dominance of Nikola Jokic and the Nuggets. Davis, in particular, struggled, leaving fans and analysts questioning his impact. “It seemed like he wasn’t there when we needed him,” Worthy said during The Lake Show postgame program.
Worthy didn’t hold back in his analysis of the game. “The Lakers went back to two years ago. The offense was stagnant. They just laid down. It was weird,” he said, reflecting on the lackluster team effort. He also singled out Davis, who played the same minutes as James but failed to deliver.
The fans in social media also highlighted the team’s struggles beyond Davis. The numbers from players like D’Angelo Russell and Dalton Knecht weren’t enough. The team just couldn’t get into rhythm, and the way the Lakers were winning didn’t show up on Saturday’s night.
Anthony Davis #3 and LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers during a 116-106 Lakers win over the Philadelphia 76ers at Crypto.com Arena on November 08, 2024 in Los Angeles, California.
Nikola Jokic shines once again
On the other side of the court, Nikola Jokic put on a show. Returning from an injury that sidelined him for several games, the two-time MVP reminded everyone why he’s among the league’s best. Jokic tallied 34 points, 13 rebounds, and 8 assists, dominating the Lakers on both ends of the floor.
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Worthy praised Jokic’s performance, acknowledging the challenge of containing the Serbian star: “He is physical, he is MVP, he is a champion, and he is consistent with the numbers, they are better than ever this year. So, if you don’t meet force with force, if he can tell you are not ready to play, he is going to eat you alive.”
Worthy continued: “He just did that tonight. He was exceptional. If you play hard, he still is going to get it, but when you are not ready to meet him, where he wants to play he will destroy and Pope was gone, Murray went out for a little, and still have another guys in the system.”
Anthony Davis’ disappointing stats
Davis’ stat line reflected his struggles. He finished with 14 points on a dismal 6-of-19 shooting, missing all three of his attempts from beyond the arc. While he did contribute 10 rebounds and 3 assists, it wasn’t enough to offset his inefficiency on offense.
Fans and analysts alike were disappointed, as Davis has typically been a standout performer this season. The lack of cohesion on the floor showed that this squad didn’t show unity on Saturday’s night. When key players aren’t stepping up, it’s hard to compete against the other teams in the NBA.
