LAKERS, NAKAUNA SA NUGGETS

Hindi na nagpatumpik-tumpik ang Los Angeles Lakers sa kanilang pagsabak sa Game 1 ng NBA Western Conference finals at madaliang ginapi ang Denver Nuggets, 126-114 upang simulan ng maganda ang kanilang kampanya tungo sa NBA Finals.

Pinangunahan ni Anthony Davis ang ratsada ang Lakers kung saan dinomina nila ang Nuggets sa second quarter at hindi na hinayaang makabalik pa ang Nuggets sa laro.

Kumamada si Davis ng 37 puntos na may kasamang 10 rebounds.

“We haven’t done anything special,” sabi ni Davis. “We basically took care of home court. We have three more to go.”

Si LeBron James naman, nag-ambag ng 15 puntos at 12 assists habang humirit ng 18 points si Kentavious Caldwell-Pope.

Ito rin ang Game 1 win ng Lakers sa mga ganitong playoffs.

Huling nakalamang ang Denver sa iskor na 38-36 bago kumana ang Los Angeles ng 17-1 run upang lumamang ng 14 at hindi na naka-iskor ang Nuggets hanggang sa 6:50 mark ng second quarter.

Halatang nasa kondisyon ang Lakers dahil maaga nitong naidispatsa ang Houston Rockets sa kanilang semifinals series.

“It took a quarter for us to kind of figure it out,” sabi ni James. “I’m not saying we fully figured them out because it’s too early in the series to say that.”

“But we started to get a better feel, just started to get in a better rhythm defensively and we started to get some stops in that second quarter and we were able to build that lead up going into halftime,” dagdag niya.

Ayon naman kay Denver coach Mike Malone, kinulang sa depensa ang kanyang mga bataan.

“Even in that first quarter we didn’t guard anybody,” sabi ni Malone. “Our offense was able to score the ball but there was little defense.”