NBA legend and basketball Hall of Famer Isiah Thomas doubts the Denver Nuggets can overcome the Los Angeles Lakers in the Western Conference finals.
Thomas noted the Nuggets have the talent to compete, but he wondered whether Denver can match the savvy and basketball knowledge of LeBron James and the Lakers.
Isiah also said that Anthony Davis is the perfect co-star for LeBron:
“Right now, I question if the Nuggets can beat the Lakers in a series,” the NBA icon explained, via Justin Barrasso of Sports Illustrated. “They definitely have the talent, but do they have the basketball IQ to compete with LeBron James? He’s smart enough to find out what you do defensively, then exploit it. And with Anthony Davis, LeBron has the perfect player to attack all areas. Davis was a point guard in high school before he had his growth spurt, which reminds me a little of Marcus Camby.”
Isiah Thomas went on to say Davis has the “hunger” to win, which — when paired with LeBron's basketball IQ — helps make the Lakers a tough team to beat.
James did it all for the Lakers in their Game 1 victory over the Nuggets, finishing the contest with 15 points, six rebounds and 12 assists. Davis also got whatever he wanted in the paint, scoring 37 points while grabbing 10 rebounds and going 12-of-15 from the free-throw line.
However, LA's supporting cast also did its job against the Nuggets. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope scored 18 points while shooting 3-for-5 from beyond the arc, and Markieff Morris poured in 11 off the bench while also knocking down multiple triples.
In these 2020 NBA playoffs, the Nuggets have shown how to fight with their backs against the wall. Nonetheless, it still didn't stop Thomas from wondering whether it will be enough against the top-seeded Lakers.
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