3 reasons why the Los Angeles Lakers should want Denver in round 1

3. The alternative is the Los Angeles Clippers, who are red-hot

As fun as it would be to potentially beat the Los Angeles Clippers in the first round and ruin the next decade for the franchise, it would be a much harder first round than playing the Denver Nuggets.

The Clippers have been playing really good basketball since the NBA trade deadline. I have to give credit where credit is due and the Clippers are hitting their stride at the right time heading into the NBA Playoffs. Rajon Rondo has proven to be a smart addition and the Clippers are 9-1 in their last 10 games with him.

The Los Angeles Lakers can obviously beat the Clippers in a playoff series and will not back down from the challenge but the easier route is obviously better for the team. If the Lakers can stay as the four/five seed then they won’t have to see the Clippers until the Western Conference Finals, assuming they finish as either the third or second seed.

This gives the Lakers ample time to get into gear. While the team should be healthy for the playoffs, we cannot forget the fact that LeBron James is 36 and Anthony Davis is coming off of the scariest type of injury a basketball player can have.

It might take some time for the two to get up to speed and play at 100%. With how good the Clippers are playing, an 85% effort from AD and LeBron might not be good enough. It will be good enough against Denver.

Basketball fans were owed a Lakers-Clippers Western Conference Finals last year and the Clippers could not show up to the big dance. Hopefully, it can happen this year with the Lakers at 100%.