The Denver Nuggets have now defeated their Western Conference rival nine times in a row, after their Game 1 victory over the Lakers on Saturday. This could potentially tie Denver’s current streak of 12 wins, which would be the third-longest winning streak one team has ever posted over another.
The Lakers, however, are determined to avoid a sweep and tie the series in Game 2 on Tuesday. The superstars LeBron James and Anthony Davis combined for 59 points on over 56% shooting from the field in Game 1, but the rest of the Laker roster struggled. Only one reserve scored in the entire game, and James and Davis missed a combined 14 shots.
Denver managed to beat the Lakers despite a relatively disappointing 9-of-24 shooting night from Jamal Murray. If the Nuggets can get Murray going as they did a season ago in this matchup, it could be over. The Nuggets always win these games, but the Lakers tend to keep it close. Three of Denver’s four wins in last year’s series were by six points or fewer, and Game 1 was competitive until the end even if the Nuggets ultimately pulled away.
