The most important players for the Los Angeles Lakers in their Western Conference Finals matchup against the Denver Nuggets are, wait for it … LeBron James and Anthony Davis.

The depth the Lakers have accrued has refreshingly eased the playmaking/scoring burden from LeBron and AD, but they've won two rounds, first and foremost, because of the stars' participation. The Lakers are 26-10 in playoff games when both are healthy(ish).

Of course, you need stars to play like stars to compete for titles (see: Philadelphia 76ers). Davis, the best defensive player in the 2023 NBA Playoffs, will be tasked with dealing with Nikola Jokic, the most impactful offensive force. The Lakers don't possess center depth behind AD, as they did in 2020 with Dwight Howard and JaVale McGee. They'll need Davis to defend the two-time MVP, contain Joker/Jamal Murray pick-and-rolls, excel on the glass, and stay out of foul trouble. If that saps his offensive aggression, the Lakers will need LeBron to activate Scorer Mode, as he finally did in Game 6 against the Golden State Warriors.

The Lakers acquired a handful of solid role players before the deadline, though their roles in the WCF, however, remain TBD. Jarred Vanderbilt's length will be useful against Murray, Aaron Gordon, and Michael Porter Jr., but his presence might allow Jokic to let Gordon check Davis. Rui Hachimura hasn't quieted since Round 1. Malik Beasley is out of the rotation. Mo Bamba (ankle) is unavailable.

There is, however, one trade acquisition whom the Lakers will absolutely need to shine in order to advance to the NBA Finals.

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Lakers' X -Factor vs. Nuggets: D'Angelo Russell

Let's imagine that Davis and Jokic play to a standstill. And neither Michael Malone nor Darvin Ham dramatically outcoaches the other.

Then, let's say the Lakers' backcourt of Russell, Dennis Schroder, Austin Reaves, and Lonnie Walker IV bests the Nuggets' backcourt of Jamal Murray, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Bruce Brown, and Christian Braun.

For that to manifest, either Russell (15.7 points per game in the playoffs) or Reaves (15.4 PPG) has to come close to matching Murray (25.9 PPG), if not quite in scoring then in overall impact. Russell will probably draw the lighter defensive assignment (KCP), so he should be ready to cook on the other end. When he gets going early, the Lakers usually win.

On defense, Russell is the weakest link. Expect Denver to bait him into switching him into mismatches. Whether he can hang will be critical for Los Angeles.

On paper, the series favors the Nuggets. They can match or surpass the Lakers' depth, size, and versatility, and they don't foul or turn it over. They want it just as badly.

Ultimately, the Lakers' most significant advantage is having two superstars — one being LeBron James. If the Lakers' backcourt, led by DLo, can hold its own and AD does his thing, LeBron becomes the true X-factor. The Lakers will take that scenario.