All Lakers Expert Predictions For Possible Elimination Game Vs Nuggets

Los Angeles is staring down the prospect of a long offseason if it loses tonight.

Apr 25, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward Anthony Davis controls the ball against Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic. / Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

For the second straight postseason, the reigning champion Denver Nuggets have the Los Angeles Lakers on the ropes.

LA once again trails Denver 0-3, just as it did during the 2023 Western Conference Finals. This time, the Lakers didn't manage to get quite that far before facing off against Nikola Jokic and co. Los Angeles again is down 0-3, but this time, things look a bit more dire, as the team seems poised to be eliminated in the first round of the West playoffs.

Here are our expert predictions for tonight's contest.

Will the Lakers get on the board?

Per The Action Network, the Purple and Gold are +3.5 point underdogs tonight, despite playing at home. Maybe it's because they've lost three straight, and looked insanely checked out by the end of a miserable Game 3 finish. Maybe it's because they've surrendered double-digit advantages over the Nuggets in each of the last three games. Maybe it's because their starting point guard scored zero points on 0-of-7 shooting, but their head coach refuses to bench him.

Los Angeles is vulnerable and exhausted, and All-Stars Anthony Davis and LeBron James have been able to get consistent scoring help anywhere else. Coach Darvin Ham has at times seemed confused about when to best delegate his time outs to curb Denver scoring spurts. I hate to say it, but the Lakers are getting swept tonight.

Will the return of Christian Wood change anything about Darvin Ham's rotations?

Jaxson Hayes was such a zero for Los Angeles during the first two contests that he was a healthy scratch by Game 3. Ham cut his rotation to eight players, with forward Taurean Prince and point guards Spencer Dinwiddie and Gabe Vincent as his only bench pieces. Will Ham opt to add some (theoretical) floor spacing in the front court with Wood, who's not much of a defender but might at least keep whichever Denver players assigned to cover him honest away from the basket? I am dubious he'll see major run, but he's at least worth a look. He's returning for his first game action since undergoing a knee surgery, according to Michael Corvo of Clutch Points.

How can the Lakers stop Jamal Murray?

Gabe Vincent is their best healthy perimeter defender, with Jarred Vanderbilt still out hurt. Vincent is nowhere near his 2022-23 Miami Heat self, but he's still capable. Ham seemed to prefer Dinwiddie to Vincent given that the UC Santa Barbara's offense has cratered so badly this season, but Vincent is the stronger defender. Ham also experimented with toggling between Anthony Davis and LeBron James between Murray and Nikola Jokic late, and it proved a decent strategy, although it wore out the dynamic duo on the other end.

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