The Los Angeles Lakers won against the Denver Nuggets last night, but we’ve come across a statistic that tells us the series outcome could have been very different.
Finally. That’s what every Los Angeles Lakers fan must have thought when their favorites defeated the Denver Nuggets after 11 consecutive losses. At some point, even the most casual observer had to wonder how a team with LeBron James and Anthony Davis could lose 11 times in a row to the same opponent. However, it’s not all black and white.
Let’s go back to last year’s playoffs when the Lakers were swept off the court with a total of 4-0 in the series, but three out of those four losses were within six points. Furthermore, in this year’s playoffs, they’ve played four games, and in each, they’ve had a lead of 10 or more points. In the first, they led by 12, in the second by 20, in the third by 10, and last night by 16 points. The result? They’re down 3-1 in the series.
Even more striking is the fact that despite being down 1-3 in the series, the Los Angeles Lakers led for a whopping 136:06 minutes, trailed for only 41:53 minutes, while it was tied for 14:07 minutes.
“It’s necessary to control the game”
Truly, this is an extraordinary statistic. But Nikola Jokic’s statement after the game perhaps best describes the mentality of both teams and why the situation in the series is as it is.
“Of course, we want to win, but I’ve learned from horse racing how you start a race and how you finish it. It’s necessary to control the game, which we didn’t do this time. We’re not creating enough open shots, we just need to believe in each other more.”
The Denver Nuggets have just showcased all the resilience they possess in clutch moments. Considering both last year’s and this year’s playoffs, in eight fourth quarters, the Nuggets lead with a total difference of +19. In the playoffs, this is of crucial importance.
The next game is scheduled at 4 AM in Denver for two days.