A late Jamal Murray bucket on Monday night was the decisive moment of the game as the Lakers were sent on an early vacation by the Nuggets with a 108-106 win for the Denver side. However, after the game, the NBA on TNT panel argued about a specific moment of the game that ultimately made a difference.
The moment in question was the foul call on Anthony Davis. While guarding Nikola Jokic, the refs called a foul by the Lakers forward, which was then overturned after a successful challenge. Talking about the moment, Charles Barkley said, “Win the challenge, and lose the timeout. That doesn’t seem fair to me.”
According to Barkley, if a team wins the challenge, they should keep the timeout because the official made the mistake. So, losing a timeout over a successful challenge did not make sense for the NBA legend, and he lobbied in favor of changes to the rules.
Barkley’s case might be a valid one, but that does not change anything for the Lakers. Since their 2020 NBA Championship win, it’s been a journey of failure till now for the Purple and Gold brigade.
Lakers’ Playoff Form Since 2020
After laying their hands on the prestigious Larry O’Brien Trophy for the 17th time in 2020, the Lakers didn’t show the zeal to acquire the championship trophy despite being led by NBA great LeBron James.
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The following year, in 2021, the Los Angeles squad qualified for the first round of the playoff series and faced the Phoenix Suns. The Suns showed their supremacy in Game 1 and snatched a win. But LeBron’s side did not give up, they came back more robust in the following two games and took a 2-1 lead. Much to their surprise, the Suns turned the tide in the next three games, winning 4 out of 6 games, and the series didn’t have to roll on to the seventh game.
The Lakers didn’t qualify for the 2022 playoffs, but in 2023, they bounced back only to lose to the Nuggets in the Western Conference Finals. After much hardship, the Lakers crawled up to play the Conference Finals, but they didn’t stand a chance in front of the Denver team. With a 4-0 loss in the series, they exited the tournament. This year was no different as the Nuggets showcased their dominance in round one and swept them off their feet with a 4-1 win.
LeBron James has already hinted that his days on the court are numbered hence the franchise must act swiftly to turn the tables next season if they want to bring that 18th NBA championship.
Also Read: “One of the Best Bigs”: LeBron James Heaps Praise on Anthony Davis After Historical Performance
