Throughout his 21-year NBA career with the Cleveland Cavaliers, Miami Heat and Los Angeles Lakers, LeBron James has squared off against many of the best players and teams the league has ever seen.
Especially in the playoffs, LeBron has seen teams such as the Big 3 Boston Celtics, the Golden State Warriors with Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant and the San Antonio Spurs led by Tim Duncan and Kawhi Leonard. But currently, the team that has his number, perhaps more than any other, is this current Denver Nuggets team led by Nikola Jokic.
The defending champion Nuggets have defeated LeBron and the Lakers 11 straight games and are on the verge of a sweeping them out of the playoffs for the second consecutive year. As for where they rank amongst the teams James has seen in his career, he isn’t sure, but definitely feels they are near the top of the list.
“It’s too hard for me to answer that question right now,” LeBron said after the Lakers’ Game 3 loss to the Nuggets. “I’ll probably sit back at some point and kind of rank the teams in my 20-plus year career about which teams were some of the tougher teams. This team is definitely well equipped and well prepared, well coached. They do not have a weakness offensively. Every guy that they put out on the floor, especially in their starting lineup, they have one of the best starting fives in the league over the last few years.
“They got shotmakers, they have playmakers, they have guys that can rebound and assists and things of that mature. So they always try to keep you at bay, but it’s definitely one of the better teams that I’ve played in my career. But to rank it right now, it would be too hard. I’ve played against a lot of great teams, this is a great team and I’ve played against a lot.”
James is certainly right about the Nuggets starting five being absolutely outstanding. They fit together perfectly with everyone playing their role and the greatness of Jokic brings out the best in all of his teammates.
The Lakers have been unable to figure out how to take this team down over the past couple of years and could very well find themselves at home at the hand of the Nuggets very soon. That is a credit to how well this team is put together and LeBron has nothing but respect for them.
LeBron James: As long as Lakers have life, he still believes they can win
For the second consecutive season, LeBron James and the Lakers find themselves on the brink of being swept by this Nuggets team. But even though they are facing a 3-0 deficit, LeBron will continue to believe in the Lakers as long as there are still games to play.
“It’s one game at a time at this point,” LeBron said. “You lose and you go home, so you come out with the mindset of let’s get one, force a Game 5 and then we’ll go from there. So as long as you still have life then you always have belief. I just think you play until the wheels fall off. That’s what it’s always about for me, as a mindset, and this guy next to me feels the same way.”
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