Before the start of the first round of the playoffs, Denver were the favorite in the series against Utah, but something clearly went wrong. The team faced serious difficulties, because already at the start the victory was given very hard. The Nuggets beat the jazzmen only in overtime (135-125) and then the defeats began. The club was never able to upset the rival, although it managed to upset its fans, because it lost three matches in a row. The “nuggets” need to save the situation, especially in case of failure, Michael Malone’s charges will automatically end the season, so you can imagine with what attitude Nikola Jokic and company will go to the match.
The Los Angeles team was considered one of the main contenders for the championship, although after the restart of the season, the situation changed somehow. Even LeBron James himself has repeatedly stated that it is much harder to play in the bubble, because there is no support from the fans. The Lakers lost at the start of the first round to Portland (93-100), but they corrected the situation very quickly. Still, a team with such players and such a status must demonstrate the appropriate basketball. Frank Vogel’s charges stepped forward and now it remains to put the squeeze on the “blazers”. It is safe to say that the “lakes” are on the move again, so it is not surprising to see them in the role of the favorite.