NBA playoffs: LeBron James fumes at Lakers’ slow start after Game 1 defeat to Nuggets

LeBron James has blamed the way in which the Los Angeles Lakers started slow as the main reason for their loss to the Nuggets in Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals. 

During the first half of Monday night’s matchup in Denver, the Lakers were virtually non existent on defense as they trailed by as many as 18 points, a deficit that proved costly in the Purple and Gold’s attempts to get back into the game. 

After the 132-126 defeat, James pointed out that his team can’t afford to come off the blocks slowly in any further games in the series against the first seed of the West. 

‘It took us a half to get into the game,’ said the 38-year-old four-time NBA champion. ‘And that was pretty much the ballgame right there. They punched us in the mouth to start. […] I know the game is won in 48 minutes, but they set the tone in 24 minutes, and we were playing catch-up for the next 24.’

LA coach Darvin Ham, on the other hand, seemed relax about concerns pinpointed by James, who’s competed in 10 NBA Finals – four of which he’s won MVP Awards for.

‘Thank God it’s the best-of-seven and it’s not the NCAA Tournament,’ said the first-year Lakers coach. ‘It´s the first to four. We’ll be OK, trust me.’

LeBron James reacts after the Lakers were defeated by the Nuggets in Game 1 at Ball Arena

James blamed his team’s slow start as the main reason behind the defeat away from home

James, 38, talks to the media after the first game of the Western Conference Finals in Denver

James and Lakers center Anthony Davis were the only two players to feature in double digits for L.A during the first 24 minutes of Monday night’s contest – a stark contrast to the Nuggets, who had four players with at least ten points.

Two-time MVP Nikola Jokic led the way with 19 points, while Michael Porter Jr. had 10, Jamal Murray scored 17, and Bruce Brown proved to be impactful off the bench with 14. 

The Lakers will have to take note of Brown’s cameo display if they are to get more scoring out of their own role players, as they look to steal a game in Colorado prior to returning to Los Angeles for Game 3. 

Ham had more to say on his team’s Game 1 struggles, echoing James’ sentiments on the team’s slow start. 

‘My first inclination is not even a size factor; it’s a mobility factor,’ said the Purple and Gold head coach. ‘We had multiple guys just standing around. No one is seeking out a hit. One person getting a hit. One person is selling out going after the basketball. A couple of times the ball just dropped to the ground and someone swooped in from their team and grabbed it.  

Nuggets center Nikola Jokic was sensational vs. LA with 34 points, 21 rebounds and 14 assists

Nuggets forward Bruce Brown was impactful off the bench with 14 points in the first half

The 44-year-old also fumed at his team’s defensive efforts, bemoaning the amount of second-chance points LA gave up in both halves.

‘A lot, a lot of long rebounds,’ Ham added. ‘We gave them way too many second-chance points on offensive rebound opportunities. And 50-50 balls for that matter. 

 ‘We have to be better in transition, and we can’t foul them. We have to be more disciplined showing our hands when we’re guarding those guys around the rim and in the post.’ 

The Nuggets out-rebounded their opponents by a margin of 17 and it goes without saying that put together, James and Davis collected 22 boards of their team’s 30.

Jokic recorded his sixth triple-double of these playoffs with 34 points, 21 rebounds and 14 assists, highlighting his effect in the paint against the Lakers. 

Game 2 is Thursday night at Ball Arena, where the top-seeded Nuggets are 7-0 in the playoffs and 41-7 overall, the best home record in the league this season.