Episode Details

One of the good things about Sunday's win over Toronto was that the Lakers did it without a big game from Luka Dončić. 

Tuesday in Denver, they picked up a huge win against the Nuggets, and this time Luka was in the middle of it all. He controlled most of the minutes he played, finishing with a very efficient 38 points (12-21 shooting) to go with 13 rebounds and ten assists. LeBron James was big, especially in the third quarter, with 19/9/8, and while the Lakers didn't get any double-figure scorers off the bench, they did have three players (Rui Hachimura, Jaxson Hayes, Drew Timme) with nine. As a team, the Lakers not only took enough, but made enough 3's to keep the offense flowing. 

Frankly, had the Lakers managed to hit free throws (22-31), they could have won by a lot more. 

But perhaps the most impressive aspect of the victory, other than Dončić, was the way they stepped up defensively on Jamal Murray in the second half. Murray absolutely destroyed them in the first 24 minutes, but out of the break the Lakers made a concerted effort to get the ball out of his hands, aggressively doubling to force passes. And making someone else beat them was a very strong strategy. Denver went through long scoring droughts, and overall the Lakers held them to 36 points in the second half. Factor in a little shot luck if you'd like, those are still outstanding numbers. 

Best win of the year? Hard to say. But it's gotta be on the list. 

HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky 

SEGMENT 1: Luka masterful as the Lakers pick up a win in Denver. 

SEGMENT 2: Has the defense turned a corner? 

SEGMENT 3: It's Timme Time! 

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