Every team has that one rival that always seems to be their kryptonite. Perhaps the most infamous example is LeBron James' Cleveland Cavaliers tormenting the Toronto Raptors in the mid-to-late 2010s. Now, James finds himself on the opposite end of the spectrum in the supposed rivalry between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Denver Nuggets.
In the first three games of the series, the Lakers have always found a way to get an edge over the Nuggets. They led by double-digits at one point during all three games. However, in every game, Denver somehow found a way to come back and steal the victory. The Lakers now find themselves in a 0-3 hole, setting a dubious record in the process per OptaSTATS on X.
“Since the NBA went to all best-of-7 series beginning in 2003, there have been 90 instances of a team holding a double-digit lead in each of the first 3 games of a playoff series. This year's Lakers are the only ones to be down 3-0.”
That's a brutal way to go down 3-0. In some ways, you could argue that this is worse than getting blown out in all three games. The Lakers have shown that they know how to take advantage of Denver's miscues, jumping them out of the gate for the lead. However, they have continually blown advantage after advantage. Whether it's due to a flawed roster or a skill gap between the two teams, the Nuggets just seem to know how exactly to beat this team down.
Lakers' struggles against Nuggets
This isn't just a one-series thing for the Lakers. Last season, the Nuggets were the only hurdle LA had to face to make it to the Finals. Try as they might, they were just simply unable to crack Denver's facade. They were swept 4-0 and have been reeling since then.
The Nuggets also swept the season series against the Lakers this season. That means Denver is a cool 11-0 when facing Los Angeles this season after Game 3. It's brutal to see this team squander opportunity after opportunity to win their games. Already, you can see that the Lakers' body language after Game 3 was just… defeated.
In Game 2, the Lakers held a twenty-point lead, only to see that be zapped away by Jamal Murray. A buzzer-beater to win the game only added more salt to the wound. In Game 3, the Lakers jumped out to an early 12-point lead, only to see that lead get methodically busted by Nikola Jokic and Aaron Gordon.
Outlook bleak for LA?
Is there still hope for the Lakers? A 0-3 deficit is infamously difficult to come back from. The Boston Celtics came the closest last season, but even they fell short in Game 7. Los Angeles will have to come back against a Nuggets team that seems like they're still sleepwalking through the playoffs while bulldozing them.
LeBron James and Anthony Davis have done their hardest to keep the Lakers in the series, but they can only be great for so long. For them to pull off this miraculous comeback, they'll need all hands on deck
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