Bruce Brown takes indirect shot at LeBron James' Lakers: “Never felt like we were gonna lose”
Bruce Brown's recent comments in an interview with NBA player Theo Pinson may have been a shot at LeBron James' LA Lakers.
A guest on the podcast "Run Your Race," Brown was asked about his latest postseason run which resulted in a championship. The first-seeded Denver Nuggets faced the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first round, Phoenix Suns in the semifinals, LA Lakers in the Western Conference Finals and Miami Heat in the NBA Finals.
When asked who he felt was the toughest matchup, his answer even left the host astounded. Brown said that the Suns were their toughest matchup in the playoffs with air quotes over the word "toughest." Brown was referring to how everyone believes that Kevin Durant and Devin Booker's Suns gave the Nuggets the hardest time, as the series went to six games, while others didn't.
However, Brown doesn't believe that to be the case. He said that the Timberwolves were the toughest matchup for the Nuggets, while dealing with the Conference finalists LA Lakers was a piece of cake. Pinson asked him if facing the Lakers was the toughest if he felt the Suns weren't. Brunson said:
"Phoenix was our 'toughest' series, but I would say honestly, our toughest series was … Minnesota … I just, I don’t know. It was just always like that. They just had…I don’t know.
"It was just something about them. They had good players, like Mike Conley, Pat, Ant, I think that was our toughest series. I mean Phoenix, it was just blowouts each game."
Brown didn't seem to have any explanation about why he made such an outrageous statement. When Pinson pointed out that every game of the Lakers series was close, Brown shrugged it off:
"Yeah, but it never felt like we were going to lose, any game. Even when they went on their little run, Austin Reaves was hitting threes; it never felt like 'Oh we about to lose.'"
Bruce Brown on Nuggets toughest opponent during the championship run 👀 https://t.co/jMao8HU4NC
Bruce Brown said that he felt invincible, like he wouldn't lose. While that projects confidence, it can also be interpreted as disrespecting the opponent, suggesting that they weren't worthy enough to warrant fear of defeat.
Many in the NBA community have dismissed Brown's statement, as they think he's making it up and taking an indirect shot at LeBron James and Co..
Was Bruce Brown right that Timberwolves were tougher matchup than Suns and Lakers?
Bruce Brown is under the impression that the first-round series against the Minnesota Timberwolves was tougher for his team than the Western Conference Finals.
The Timberwolves lost in the play-in tournament and haven't proven anything. Meanwhile, the LA Lakers had the duo of LeBron James and Anthony Davis who won the title in 2020 and reached the conference finals after beating reigning champions Golden State Warriors.
Many aren't taking Brown's comments seriously, as he didn't have a logical explanation about why he chose Minnesota. It seems he's biased against the Lakers and has taken an indirect shot at James.
Bruce Brown said LeBron was "done" after the start of the second half of the final game in the DEN vs LA series. https://t.co/c8N47kdHGQ
Bruce Brown did have a major role in the championship, as he was the bonafide sixth man for Denver. However, he wasn't one of the main players who feels the intensity of the defense and pressure of the moment.
It can be easily suggested that Brown felt more comfortable and at ease by the time the Western Conference Finals rolled around compared to when the postseason was just starting and he felt like he had to prove himself worthy of minutes.
Hence, Bruce Brown felt nearly invincible in the third series against the Lakers that it didn't feel like Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets could do no wrong. However, several experts and analysts will point out that each game against LeBron James' Lakers went down to the wire and was decided in the final minutes.
Meanwhile, the Timberwolves looked out of their depth against Jokic and Co., losing in a gentlemen's sweep.