Denver Nuggets Blog – Roundball Mining Company

Rapid Reaction: Denver Nuggets 99 Los Angeles Lakers 84

May 5, 2012
by Charlie

Los Angeles Lakers

Denver Nuggets

	Kenneth Faried, F 36 MIN \| 6-16 FG \| 0-0 FT \| 15 REB \| 2 AST \| 12 PTS \| +5 What Faried has managed to accomplish as a rookie is incredible. He couldn’t sniff garbage minutes at the beginning of the season and is now being marketed as the face of the team. While Faried is still physically overmatched, he’s made strides on the defensive end and established himself as a rebounding force. When the game got close and the Nuggets found themselves struggling to execute, the Nuggets relied on Faried’s energy to pull out a gritty win.
	Danilo Gallinari, SF 33 MIN \| 3-11 FG \| 7-8 FT \| 6 REB \| 2 AST \| 13 PTS \| -1 Another mediocre offensive performance from Gallo, who still has not been able to leave his mark on the series. While Gallo didn’t make plays or shoot well, he started to find his game in the fourth quarter and managed to end his night on a high note. Gallo made several big free throws and grabbed some crucial rebounds late, all while having to guard Kobe Bryant for a majority of his time on the floor. Gallo was solid on Kobe, but is still a non-factor offensively.
	Timofey Mozgov, C 14 MIN \| 0-3 FG \| 0-0 FT \| 5 REB \| 0 AST \| 0 PTS \| -8 Karl’s decision to start Mozgov paid off as the Lakers were not able to establish their paint defense as easily as they were in L.A. Unfortunately, Mozgov wasn’t able to contain Bynum into the second half and unraveled. His presence was an effective deterrent for Bynum early, but he was awful with the ball in his hands and completely overshadowed by McGee and Faried in a rough second half.
	Arron Afflalo, SG 25 MIN \| 3-9 FG \| 2-2 FT \| 1 REB \| 1 AST \| 10 PTS \| +4 Afflalo’s play continues to decline. His ineffectiveness has reached a point where George Karl decided to bench him for the entirety of the pivotal fourth quarter. There’s no nice way to put it — Afflalo, who was a premier player for the Nuggets heading into the series, has been reduced to a barely visible role player. His defense is unremarkable and he continues to force offense with poor results. Afflalo appears to have lost some confidence and is no longer playing his game.
	Ty Lawson, PG 38 MIN \| 9-19 FG \| 6-7 FT \| 4 REB \| 7 AST \| 25 PTS \| +23 Lawson proved he can carry the Nuggets for stretches and a game like this proves just how important he is in this series. Denver’s offense was unstoppable when Lawson was at his best and the Lakers quickly got right back in the game when his aggressiveness tapered off. Lawson was amazing, but too unselfish in the second half, where he scored only 7 points and deferred to Andre Miller. Even with all his faults, Lawson produced at a superstar level throughout the first half and the Lakers had no answer.
	Al Harrington, PF 17 MIN \| 2-4 FG \| 2-2 FT \| 2 REB \| 2 AST \| 7 PTS \| +1 Harrington was off to a decent start before catching a vicious elbow from Andrew Bynum in the third quarter. Harrington appeared dizzy and unable to get up and down the floor for a good two possessions before play was finally stopped and he was able to be examined. Harrington broke his nose and will have to wear a mask if he’s able to go in game four.
	Andre Miller, PG 32 MIN \| 5-12 FG \| 2-2 FT \| 5 REB \| 6 AST \| 13 PTS \| +17 Miller’s offense certainly wasn’t pretty, but he continues to be very effective off the bench. Andre has played with a lot of confidence in this series and seems to know he can generate good looks against the Lakers reserves. Andre made a huge three-pointer to seal the win and was distributing effectively despite the fact he took some ill-advised shots. The Nuggets need confident decision makers on offense and right now Miller is one of the few consistent options.
	Corey Brewer, SF 16 MIN \| 1-7 FG \| 0-0 FT \| 1 REB \| 1 AST \| 3 PTS \| +4 Brewer had a very sub-par night in terms of production, but I feel he was a positive on defense and a better offensive player than his awful shooting performance indicates. This was Brewer’s worst game of the series, but his hands were all over the place defensively and his trademark energy was a key ingredient in the Nuggets eventually gutting out a win.
	JaVale McGee, C 28 MIN \| 8-12 FG \| 0-2 FT \| 15 REB \| 2 AST \| 16 PTS \| +30 Wow. While I’m still in awe of how thoroughly McGee dominated inside, I can’t say it was totally unexpected. The Nuggets have nothing to lose by throwing McGee out there over Koufos and Mozgov just to see what the kid is made of. McGee played over 25 minutes for the first time in ten games and responded with a Bynum-like performance of 16 points, 15 rebounds and four blocks. It was a resounding statement game for McGee, who became the first big off the bench and proved he needs a significant role for Denver to have any chance of getting back in this series.

Who Should Play and When? [Updated]

May 4, 2012
by Jeremy

With the Denver Nuggets trailing the Los Angeles Lakers 2-0 in their best of seven first round matchup there have been a lot of questions regarding what the Nuggets need to do in order to get back into the series.

One of the most consistent points of contention between Nuggets fans all season long has been regarding the lineups and rotations. That debate has only intensified over the previous two games. Do the Nuggets need to go small and try to run the Lakers off the court? Do they need to go big to try to match LA’s size? Should Miller and Lawson play together? Some think Koufos should be benched, others think he is doing fine and Mozgov should be left to rot on the pine.

The truth is there simply is not enough information to make an informed decision meaning no one can honestly say he has the answer to any of these questions.

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Rapid Reaction: Denver Nuggets 100 Los Angeles Lakers 104

May 2, 2012
by Jeremy

A very disappointing night for the Denver Nuggets. The boys in blue played much better, but it still was not enough as another second half rally fell short.

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Additional Game 1 notes

May 1, 2012
by Kalen

There was quite a bit to see in Game 1 of the Nuggets first-rounds series against the Lakers. Though we covered most of it in the Rapid Reaction recap, there were still a few notes that went unpublished… until now. Here is some additional food for thought before the Nuggets tee off against the Lakers in Game 2, tonight at 10:30 p.m. EST.

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Film Room: Scoring in the Paint Versus the Lakers

May 1, 2012
by Jeremy

The Denver Nuggets live on points in the paint. In game 1 of their playoff series with the Los Angeles Lakers, they had no problem getting into the paint, what they had a problem with was scoring once they got there. The story of the game was the triple double by Andrew Bynum who completely controlled the lane defensively for the Lakers.

All hope is not lost; the Nuggets need to simply do a better job of taking advantage of the times they get in the lane. Denver finished with 44 points in the paint, a respectable total, but when you consider how many more points they could have had if they did not offer up so many meek attempts that were thrown back, there is hope Denver can get their offense back on track. In the Film Room session below, we take a look at what Denver must do to improve their offense in the paint.

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Rapid Reaction: Los Angeles Lakers 103, Denver Nuggets 88

April 29, 2012
by Kalen

Denver Nuggets

FinalRecap | Box Score

103

Los Angeles Lakers

	Kenneth Faried, F 28 MIN \| 4-8 FG \| 2-3 FT \| 8 REB \| 0 AST \| 10 PTS \| -7 In the first playoff game of his career Faried played decent. The problem is, decent won’t necessarily cut it this time of year. Faried can play better than this and the Nuggets desperately need him to play better. His energy has been one of the team’s most prized assets all year long and against the Lakers it could end up countering some of Bynum’s electric blocks.
	Danilo Gallinari, SF 36 MIN \| 7-14 FG \| 5-6 FT \| 4 REB \| 2 AST \| 19 PTS \| -17 Gallinari was about the only Nugget who came prepared to play for the playoffs, not the regular season. This was especially interesting considering how long it’s taken him to regain his form since returning from injury. He attacked the basket early and often, utilizing a variety of spin moves in the post that we haven’t seen in quite some time. He also knocked down shots when he was open and played good defense for most of the game. In the postgame press conference he admitted his team was hesitant on offense and that they need to figure out ways to score (i.e. getting out on the break) before Bynum gets set on defense. Clearly Gallinari understands what it takes to win against teams like the Lakers in the postseason. Now if he can just get his teammates to grasp this concept…
	Kosta Koufos, C 12 MIN \| 0-1 FG \| 0-0 FT \| 5 REB \| 0 AST \| 0 PTS \| -8 Koufos hardly made an impact. He started, as usual, but didn’t see many minutes after his initial stint. Karl said during a timeout how he needed his team to play up to it’s potential so he could understand whether his gameplan was working or not, but drastically cutting Koufos’ minutes seems to be hypocritical and counterproductive in that sense. Koufos has been a fairly large part of the Nuggets DNA over the last several months and is one of the few players on the roster who has the size and defensive aggression to possibly stifle Gasol or even Bynum. Seeing him play only 12 minutes doesn’t seem like enough time for a detailed evaluation of where he stands.
	Arron Afflalo, SG 33 MIN \| 3-11 FG \| 3-4 FT \| 2 REB \| 3 AST \| 9 PTS \| -7 Afflalo played great defense on Kobe… for about half the game. But once Kobe got going he never slowed down. Guarding the NBA’s second best shooting guard of all time is not an easy task. Afflalo did well for the most part but he still has to shoot better than 27 percent from the field. Anybody who takes pride in their defense knows it’s extremely difficult to lock down your opponent on one end and attack with aggression on the other, and sadly that’s what the Nuggets are asking from Afflalo. Still, if anybody can do it, it’s him.
	Ty Lawson, PG 31 MIN \| 3-11 FG \| 1-2 FT \| 1 REB \| 2 AST \| 7 PTS \| -21 There was quite a bit of fuss on Twitter regarding Lawson’s performance. Clearly he was intimidated by the Lakers front-court duo of Bynum and Gasol and avoided penetrating the lane virtually all together for much of the game. But before we overreact and jump to conclusions (after only one playoff game nonetheless) let’s keep a few things in mind: First, Lawson was the Nuggets best player in the playoffs last year against Serge Ibaka and the Thunder. Second, Lawson has fared extremely well in terms of bouncing back after bad scoring outings this season, having scored in single digits on back-to-back occasions only once all year. Finally, the Lakers are just a flat-out bad matchup for the diminutive point guard. Ty Lawson is 5-11 on a good day; the Lakers front-court duo is 7 feet every day. Lawson relies heavily on dribble penetration and most importantly, finishing around the rim. When he has two 7-footers watching his every move, it’s extremely tough for him to play this way. I’m not trying to be an apologist, but I’m level headed enough to understand that just because he struggles against the best power forward-center combo since Duncan and Robinson doesn’t mean he’s not the Nuggets point guard of the future.
	Al Harrington, PF 22 MIN \| 4-14 FG \| 0-0 FT \| 5 REB \| 0 AST \| 10 PTS \| -4 Harrington was bad. He didn’t play his game and attempted to force shots up when they weren’t falling in true Mamba-esque fashion. This is not the type of performance the Nuggets need from Big Al. At some point he needed to sever ties with shot attempts, as none of them were falling, yet he just never did. Look for Harrington to bounce back next game.
	Andre Miller, PG 27 MIN \| 5-13 FG \| 2-3 FT \| 8 REB \| 7 AST \| 12 PTS \| -5 Miller’s stat line is impressive, however it’s difficult to recall any one thing he did extremely well that helped the Nuggets in their attempt to win this game. He filled in for Lawson during stretches he normally wouldn’t — due to Ty’s struggles — and did a solid job all things considered. Hopefully Lawson finds ways to score next game so that Miller can revert back to the distributor he’s been lately that benefits the Nuggets most.
	Corey Brewer, SF 23 MIN \| 3-6 FG \| 3-3 FT \| 3 REB \| 1 AST \| 11 PTS \| +3 Brewer was certainly a bright spot on a dull, dispirited afternoon. He played great defense on every person he was assigned to guard and was one of the few Nuggets who tried to embrace the fastbreak. His defense could end up playing a key role this series, especially if Karl decides to place him on Bryant.
	Timofey Mozgov, C 9 MIN \| 2-5 FG \| 2-2 FT \| 4 REB \| 0 AST \| 6 PTS \| -3 For the second game in a row Mozgov played better than he has for most of the season. Perhaps the key is only playing him 10-12 minutes per night as he seems to top out at “Maximum Productivity” after that point. I still think Koufos deserved about half of Mozgov’s minutes, if not more, for the simple fact that he isn’t a liability on offense and has been a major contributor for the Nuggets down the stretch.
	JaVale McGee, C 17 MIN \| 0-6 FG \| 2-4 FT \| 6 REB \| 0 AST \| 2 PTS \| -10 Sunday was a struggle for McGee. Like many Nuggets, this was his first playoff game and it showed in the form of nervousness. He was fumbling the ball as if it were going out of style and couldn’t finish anything within two feet of the rim. But also like many of his teammates, he should bounce back on Tuesday with a more dominating performance.
	Julyan Stone, G 2 MIN \| 0-0 FG \| 0-0 FT \| 0 REB \| 2 AST \| 0 PTS \| +2 N/A
	Jordan Hamilton, G 2 MIN \| 1-1 FG \| 0-0 FT \| 0 REB \| 0 AST \| 2 PTS \| +2 N/A

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5-on-5: Lakers preview

April 29, 2012
by Kalen

In Roundball Mining Company’s latest edition of our 5-on-5 series we discuss what’s on everyone’s mind: Lakers vs. Nuggets. In addition to our normal trio of contributors (Jeremy, Charlie and I), we’ve asked Brain Kamenetzky of ESPN’s Land O’Lakers blog and Roundball reader Logan Wright to chip in with their take on the series as well.

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Film Room: Mozgov vs Bynum

April 28, 2012
by Jeremy

The most difficult matchup for the Denver Nuggets in their playoff series against the Los Angeles Lakers is Andrew Bynum. Bynum is the dominant offensive center in the NBA and the Nuggets must make sure that he does not score at will. Unlike in the past when the Nuggets bigs consisted of Nene, Birdman and Kenyon Martin, Denver has plenty of size to attempt to matchup with Bynum and Pau Gasol.

Out of Denver’s four centers, the one who does the best defending Bynum is Timofey Mozgov. In the Film Room segment below I have strung together six clips from the April 13 game where Mozgov is defending Bynum.

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Hickory-High breaks down Nuggets vs. Lakers

April 28, 2012
by Kalen

This is an excellent video breakdown of contrasting styles of play and individual matchups by our friends at Hickory-High. We can talk all we want about predictions but the fact is, the technical side of the game — running plays, exploiting weaknesses, ect. — will play as big of a role as any in deciding the outcome of this series. Hickory-High details these nuances with easy-to-understand video analysis which you can’t find anywhere else. If you’re a Nuggets or Lakers fan, this is a must read.

Nuggets vs Lakers Playoff Preview Live Chat

April 27, 2012
by Jeremy

In preparation for the upcoming conflagration between the Denver Nuggets and Los Angeles Lakers we will be conducting a live chat starting a noon Mountain Time featuring Phillip and Darius from the fantastic Lakers blog Forum Blue & Gold. Make sure you join us at 12:00 PM Mountain Time and send in your questions and comments about the series.

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Record	38 - 28
Pythagorean Record	39.4 - 26.6
Projected Pyth Rec (82 Gms)	48.9 - 33.1
Projected Pyth Rec (66 Gms)	39.4 - 26.6
Defensive Efficiency	104.1
Offensive Efficiency	106.9
Pace Factor	96.31/td>
Field Goal %	47.6
Opp Field Goal %	45.6%
3P Field Goal %	33.2%
Opp 3P Field Goal %	38.3%
Free Throw %	73.5%
Opp Free Throw %	76.5%
Effective FG%	51.6%
Opp Effective FG%	50.7%
True Shooting %	55.6%
Opp True Shooting %	54.2%
Def Rebound Rate	74.2%
Off Rebound Rate	27.7%
Total Rebound Rate	51.7%

	Kenneth Faried, F 36 MIN \| 6-16 FG \| 0-0 FT \| 15 REB \| 2 AST \| 12 PTS \| +5 What Faried has managed to accomplish as a rookie is incredible. He couldn’t sniff garbage minutes at the beginning of the season and is now being marketed as the face of the team. While Faried is still physically overmatched, he’s made strides on the defensive end and established himself as a rebounding force. When the game got close and the Nuggets found themselves struggling to execute, the Nuggets relied on Faried’s energy to pull out a gritty win.
	Danilo Gallinari, SF 33 MIN \| 3-11 FG \| 7-8 FT \| 6 REB \| 2 AST \| 13 PTS \| -1 Another mediocre offensive performance from Gallo, who still has not been able to leave his mark on the series. While Gallo didn’t make plays or shoot well, he started to find his game in the fourth quarter and managed to end his night on a high note. Gallo made several big free throws and grabbed some crucial rebounds late, all while having to guard Kobe Bryant for a majority of his time on the floor. Gallo was solid on Kobe, but is still a non-factor offensively.
	Timofey Mozgov, C 14 MIN \| 0-3 FG \| 0-0 FT \| 5 REB \| 0 AST \| 0 PTS \| -8 Karl’s decision to start Mozgov paid off as the Lakers were not able to establish their paint defense as easily as they were in L.A. Unfortunately, Mozgov wasn’t able to contain Bynum into the second half and unraveled. His presence was an effective deterrent for Bynum early, but he was awful with the ball in his hands and completely overshadowed by McGee and Faried in a rough second half.
	Arron Afflalo, SG 25 MIN \| 3-9 FG \| 2-2 FT \| 1 REB \| 1 AST \| 10 PTS \| +4 Afflalo’s play continues to decline. His ineffectiveness has reached a point where George Karl decided to bench him for the entirety of the pivotal fourth quarter. There’s no nice way to put it — Afflalo, who was a premier player for the Nuggets heading into the series, has been reduced to a barely visible role player. His defense is unremarkable and he continues to force offense with poor results. Afflalo appears to have lost some confidence and is no longer playing his game.
	Ty Lawson, PG 38 MIN \| 9-19 FG \| 6-7 FT \| 4 REB \| 7 AST \| 25 PTS \| +23 Lawson proved he can carry the Nuggets for stretches and a game like this proves just how important he is in this series. Denver’s offense was unstoppable when Lawson was at his best and the Lakers quickly got right back in the game when his aggressiveness tapered off. Lawson was amazing, but too unselfish in the second half, where he scored only 7 points and deferred to Andre Miller. Even with all his faults, Lawson produced at a superstar level throughout the first half and the Lakers had no answer.
	Al Harrington, PF 17 MIN \| 2-4 FG \| 2-2 FT \| 2 REB \| 2 AST \| 7 PTS \| +1 Harrington was off to a decent start before catching a vicious elbow from Andrew Bynum in the third quarter. Harrington appeared dizzy and unable to get up and down the floor for a good two possessions before play was finally stopped and he was able to be examined. Harrington broke his nose and will have to wear a mask if he’s able to go in game four.
	Andre Miller, PG 32 MIN \| 5-12 FG \| 2-2 FT \| 5 REB \| 6 AST \| 13 PTS \| +17 Miller’s offense certainly wasn’t pretty, but he continues to be very effective off the bench. Andre has played with a lot of confidence in this series and seems to know he can generate good looks against the Lakers reserves. Andre made a huge three-pointer to seal the win and was distributing effectively despite the fact he took some ill-advised shots. The Nuggets need confident decision makers on offense and right now Miller is one of the few consistent options.
	Corey Brewer, SF 16 MIN \| 1-7 FG \| 0-0 FT \| 1 REB \| 1 AST \| 3 PTS \| +4 Brewer had a very sub-par night in terms of production, but I feel he was a positive on defense and a better offensive player than his awful shooting performance indicates. This was Brewer’s worst game of the series, but his hands were all over the place defensively and his trademark energy was a key ingredient in the Nuggets eventually gutting out a win.
	JaVale McGee, C 28 MIN \| 8-12 FG \| 0-2 FT \| 15 REB \| 2 AST \| 16 PTS \| +30 Wow. While I’m still in awe of how thoroughly McGee dominated inside, I can’t say it was totally unexpected. The Nuggets have nothing to lose by throwing McGee out there over Koufos and Mozgov just to see what the kid is made of. McGee played over 25 minutes for the first time in ten games and responded with a Bynum-like performance of 16 points, 15 rebounds and four blocks. It was a resounding statement game for McGee, who became the first big off the bench and proved he needs a significant role for Denver to have any chance of getting back in this series.

	Kenneth Faried, F 28 MIN \| 4-8 FG \| 2-3 FT \| 8 REB \| 0 AST \| 10 PTS \| -7 In the first playoff game of his career Faried played decent. The problem is, decent won’t necessarily cut it this time of year. Faried can play better than this and the Nuggets desperately need him to play better. His energy has been one of the team’s most prized assets all year long and against the Lakers it could end up countering some of Bynum’s electric blocks.
	Danilo Gallinari, SF 36 MIN \| 7-14 FG \| 5-6 FT \| 4 REB \| 2 AST \| 19 PTS \| -17 Gallinari was about the only Nugget who came prepared to play for the playoffs, not the regular season. This was especially interesting considering how long it’s taken him to regain his form since returning from injury. He attacked the basket early and often, utilizing a variety of spin moves in the post that we haven’t seen in quite some time. He also knocked down shots when he was open and played good defense for most of the game. In the postgame press conference he admitted his team was hesitant on offense and that they need to figure out ways to score (i.e. getting out on the break) before Bynum gets set on defense. Clearly Gallinari understands what it takes to win against teams like the Lakers in the postseason. Now if he can just get his teammates to grasp this concept…
	Kosta Koufos, C 12 MIN \| 0-1 FG \| 0-0 FT \| 5 REB \| 0 AST \| 0 PTS \| -8 Koufos hardly made an impact. He started, as usual, but didn’t see many minutes after his initial stint. Karl said during a timeout how he needed his team to play up to it’s potential so he could understand whether his gameplan was working or not, but drastically cutting Koufos’ minutes seems to be hypocritical and counterproductive in that sense. Koufos has been a fairly large part of the Nuggets DNA over the last several months and is one of the few players on the roster who has the size and defensive aggression to possibly stifle Gasol or even Bynum. Seeing him play only 12 minutes doesn’t seem like enough time for a detailed evaluation of where he stands.
	Arron Afflalo, SG 33 MIN \| 3-11 FG \| 3-4 FT \| 2 REB \| 3 AST \| 9 PTS \| -7 Afflalo played great defense on Kobe… for about half the game. But once Kobe got going he never slowed down. Guarding the NBA’s second best shooting guard of all time is not an easy task. Afflalo did well for the most part but he still has to shoot better than 27 percent from the field. Anybody who takes pride in their defense knows it’s extremely difficult to lock down your opponent on one end and attack with aggression on the other, and sadly that’s what the Nuggets are asking from Afflalo. Still, if anybody can do it, it’s him.
	Ty Lawson, PG 31 MIN \| 3-11 FG \| 1-2 FT \| 1 REB \| 2 AST \| 7 PTS \| -21 There was quite a bit of fuss on Twitter regarding Lawson’s performance. Clearly he was intimidated by the Lakers front-court duo of Bynum and Gasol and avoided penetrating the lane virtually all together for much of the game. But before we overreact and jump to conclusions (after only one playoff game nonetheless) let’s keep a few things in mind: First, Lawson was the Nuggets best player in the playoffs last year against Serge Ibaka and the Thunder. Second, Lawson has fared extremely well in terms of bouncing back after bad scoring outings this season, having scored in single digits on back-to-back occasions only once all year. Finally, the Lakers are just a flat-out bad matchup for the diminutive point guard. Ty Lawson is 5-11 on a good day; the Lakers front-court duo is 7 feet every day. Lawson relies heavily on dribble penetration and most importantly, finishing around the rim. When he has two 7-footers watching his every move, it’s extremely tough for him to play this way. I’m not trying to be an apologist, but I’m level headed enough to understand that just because he struggles against the best power forward-center combo since Duncan and Robinson doesn’t mean he’s not the Nuggets point guard of the future.
	Al Harrington, PF 22 MIN \| 4-14 FG \| 0-0 FT \| 5 REB \| 0 AST \| 10 PTS \| -4 Harrington was bad. He didn’t play his game and attempted to force shots up when they weren’t falling in true Mamba-esque fashion. This is not the type of performance the Nuggets need from Big Al. At some point he needed to sever ties with shot attempts, as none of them were falling, yet he just never did. Look for Harrington to bounce back next game.
	Andre Miller, PG 27 MIN \| 5-13 FG \| 2-3 FT \| 8 REB \| 7 AST \| 12 PTS \| -5 Miller’s stat line is impressive, however it’s difficult to recall any one thing he did extremely well that helped the Nuggets in their attempt to win this game. He filled in for Lawson during stretches he normally wouldn’t — due to Ty’s struggles — and did a solid job all things considered. Hopefully Lawson finds ways to score next game so that Miller can revert back to the distributor he’s been lately that benefits the Nuggets most.
	Corey Brewer, SF 23 MIN \| 3-6 FG \| 3-3 FT \| 3 REB \| 1 AST \| 11 PTS \| +3 Brewer was certainly a bright spot on a dull, dispirited afternoon. He played great defense on every person he was assigned to guard and was one of the few Nuggets who tried to embrace the fastbreak. His defense could end up playing a key role this series, especially if Karl decides to place him on Bryant.
	Timofey Mozgov, C 9 MIN \| 2-5 FG \| 2-2 FT \| 4 REB \| 0 AST \| 6 PTS \| -3 For the second game in a row Mozgov played better than he has for most of the season. Perhaps the key is only playing him 10-12 minutes per night as he seems to top out at “Maximum Productivity” after that point. I still think Koufos deserved about half of Mozgov’s minutes, if not more, for the simple fact that he isn’t a liability on offense and has been a major contributor for the Nuggets down the stretch.
	JaVale McGee, C 17 MIN \| 0-6 FG \| 2-4 FT \| 6 REB \| 0 AST \| 2 PTS \| -10 Sunday was a struggle for McGee. Like many Nuggets, this was his first playoff game and it showed in the form of nervousness. He was fumbling the ball as if it were going out of style and couldn’t finish anything within two feet of the rim. But also like many of his teammates, he should bounce back on Tuesday with a more dominating performance.
	Julyan Stone, G 2 MIN \| 0-0 FG \| 0-0 FT \| 0 REB \| 2 AST \| 0 PTS \| +2 N/A
	Jordan Hamilton, G 2 MIN \| 1-1 FG \| 0-0 FT \| 0 REB \| 0 AST \| 2 PTS \| +2 N/A

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Rapid Reaction: Denver Nuggets 99 Los Angeles Lakers 84

Who Should Play and When? [Updated]

Rapid Reaction: Denver Nuggets 100 Los Angeles Lakers 104

Additional Game 1 notes

Film Room: Scoring in the Paint Versus the Lakers

Rapid Reaction: Los Angeles Lakers 103, Denver Nuggets 88

5-on-5: Lakers preview

Film Room: Mozgov vs Bynum

Hickory-High breaks down Nuggets vs. Lakers

Nuggets vs Lakers Playoff Preview Live Chat

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