Michael Malone insults Lakers while analyzing locker room psyche: “Swept them last year, we swept them this year, they want to flip that script"
Nuggets coach Michael Malone provided a blunt assessment of the upcoming first-round series between Denver and the LA Lakers. Malone acknowledged the Lakers' desire for revenge after last year's playoffs but pointed out that the Lakers have not defeated the Nuggets in quite some time.
In last year's Western Conference finals, the Nuggets swept the Lakers before going on to dominate the Heat in the finals, which ended in just five games.
Some fans have referred to the Nuggets-Lakers series as the closest sweep in history, as Denver won by margins of six, five, 11 and two points.
Malone said he expects the Lakers to try to flip the script but said the Nuggets will be prepared for the challenge.
“We swept them last year. We swept them this year,” Malone said (per Harrison Wind).
“They come in playing really well and hungry. They want to flip that script. Our players understand that.”
The Nuggets went 3-0 against the Lakers this season.
Their first encounter this season, dating back to October 2023, ended in a 119-107 win for the Denver Nuggets. The Nuggets also won the next two games, with scores of 114-106 and 124-114.
The last time the Los Angeles Lakers secured a victory against the Nuggets was on Dec. 16, 2022, when they won 126-108. This win occurred when Russell Westbrook, Patrick Beverley and Dennis Schroder were still part of the Lakers' roster.
Lakers' LeBron James admits Nuggets matchup will be ‘difficult’
After the Lakers clinched the seventh seed with a victory over the New Orleans Pelicans on Wednesday, LA star LeBron James acknowledged that being positioned to face the defending champions in the first round would be a difficult spot.
Asked about the upcoming matchup, James said:
"It's the defending champion. They know what it takes. They know how to win. They've been extremely dominant on their home floor over the last few years.”
“They've got an MVP on their team. They've got a closer on their team. They've got high-level players, high-IQ players. And they've got a hell of a coach.”
The Lakers had to grit out their game against the Pelicans to secure a spot in the 2024 playoffs.
The Lakers relied on a near-triple-double performance from LeBron James, who contributed 23 points, nine rebounds and nine assists, and the rest of their starters combining for 70 points to secure the victory against the Pelicans.
The Pelicans will face the Sacramento Kings for the eighth seed on Friday.