The Los Angeles Lakers have been at odds with the Denver Nuggets over the past three seasons. It began when the Nuggets swept the Lakers in the Western Conference Finals in 2023, setting the stage for a long losing streak. The next season, the Lakers lost to the Nuggets in five games in the first round of the postseason. Overall, since the start of 2023, the L.A. is 2-14 against Denver.
Austin Reaves has been present for every single one of those losses, and knows the way that the Nuggets have had the Lakers number over the last couple years. Those losses are why it felt particularly good for the Lakers to best Denver in their first matchup with Luka Doncic in the lineup, and for them to lose by only five points last week despite being without LeBron James, Luka, Rui Hachimura, Jaxson Hayes, Dorian Finney-Smith and Gabe Vincent.
L.A. faces off against Denver once again on Wednesday night, and Reaves spoke about meeting them again so quickly after a shockingly competitive shorthanded performance.
“We know we’re going to come in, and they’re going to be prepared, and it’s going to be a war like it always is,” Reaves said. “They’re a really good team that has really good players that play really good together. I feel like we have the same plan. We’ve got to be locked in and ready to compete on both ends.”
Reaves knows that the Nuggets have had the Lakers’ number in the playoffs the last two seasons, but that isn’t affecting how he views matchups against them in the present.
“I don’t think so,” Reaves said. “I think every game is different but you have the same mentality going in. Obviously, they kicked our ass the last couple of postseasons, and we want to return the favor. You want to beat everybody you play.”
The Lakers likely won’t be fully healthy on Wednesday night against the Nuggets. But they are hopeful that they can still be competitive and maybe even steal a win after their shorthanded performance last week. Reaves, who has been on a tear as of late, is certainly going to do his part to make that happen.
Austin Reaves believes Jordan Goodwin deserves standard contract
One of the surprise stories for the Lakers over the last two months — beyond the Luke Doncic trade — has been the emergence of Jordan Goodwin as a legitimate rotation piece. Currently on a two-way contract, Goodwin has been hugely effective on the defensive end for the Lakers while still providing some offense.
Austin Reaves, who was once a two-way player for the Lakers, said that Goodwin undoubtedly deserves a standard contract. It hasn’t happened yet, but it is expected that that the Lakers make that choice prior to the NBA Playoffs.
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