“They’re Going Home”: Stephen A. Smith Warns Lakers to Do Everything Possible to Avoid Nuggets in the First Round

Over the past two seasons, no team has struck more fear into the Lakers than the Nuggets. Led by Nikola Jokic, Denver has dismantled LA in the last two playoffs, but this year, the Lakers have Luka. NBA analyst Stephen A. Smith doesn’t think that’s enough for the team to be too confident, though, and he pleads for the Lakers to avoid the Nuggets in the first round.

The Lakers and Nuggets faced off in both the 2023 and 2024 postseasons. They matched up in the 2023 Western Conference Finals with an NBA Finals berth on the line. Denver swept the Lakers in the high-stakes meeting. The following season, they met in the first round, and history repeated itself, as the Nuggets prevailed in another five-game cleanup.

Los Angeles had a key tool in those games, though: a big man to defend Jokic. Now that the team has traded away Anthony Davis, there is a clear void at the center position. Smith appeared on ESPN’s First Take to point out that weakness along with others in his reasoning why LA needs to avoid Denver.

“[If the Lakers] get Denver in the first round again, they’re going home.” @stephenasmith says the Lakers should “do everything they can” to avoid playing the Nuggets in the playoffs pic.twitter.com/bUKhK7J8vi

— First Take (@FirstTake) February 19, 2025

You can’t ignore the past. LA’s playoff history forces Smith to believe the Lakers must take every measure possible to prevent a postseason Nuggets meetup, even if that means purposefully ensuring their seeding place them in a first-round matchup. Based on the Lakers’ current roster construction, they may need to heed Smith’s advice.

The Lakers have a glaring weakness against the Nuggets

Nuggets big man Nikola Jokic is having the best season of his career. The three-time MVP has elevated to a new level proving he will be a handful for the Lakers to deal with. In the past, they could pit AD against ‘The Joker.” However, their current center is Jaxson Hayes, who is not ideal to say the least.

LA’s redeeming trait is their dominant offense, now with Doncic at the helm. They have no answer for Jokic, who will demand a double team, which will lead to open looks for his teammates. One year, the Lakers may finally have what it takes to take down the Nuggets, but it won’t happen this time around.