- Russell Westbrook’s brother seemingly reacts to LeBron James being disappointed that Lakers didn’t acquire Kyrie Irving
- Josh Giddey downplays possibility of LeBron James breaking scoring record vs. Thunder
- Report: Raptors and Jazz are ‘plan B’ options for Lakers while Hornets, Spurs and Bulls are other ‘teams to watch’
- Report: Lakers had ‘serious concerns’ about Kyrie Irving’s professionalism and availability
- Report: Lakers still optimistic they can upgrade their roster before the trade deadline
- Report: Nets owner’s presumed objective was to send Kyrie Irving anywhere but Lakers
- Report: Lakers could be willing to give up Austin Reaves and Max Christie for Kyrie Irving in unexpected twist
- Report: There’s pessimism that Lakers will land Kyrie Irving due to his contract demands
- Anthony Davis preaches ‘urgency’ as Lakers lose critical game to Pelicans
- Russell Westbrook’s brother seemingly agrees that Lakers won’t make playoffs if they trade him
Jamal Murray Accuses Lakers of Trying to ‘Manipulate’ Referees in Game 1 Blowout
- Updated: September 19, 2020
Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
The Los Angeles Lakers took care of business in Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals.
They dispatched the Denver Nuggets in dominating fashion, 126-114. However, Nuggets starting point guard Jamal Murray was none too pleased with what he perceived were unfavorable calls from the referees.
Jamal Murray on how Nuggets adapt to whistles: "Just try to play through it. It's tough.
They want to talk about every call and have full conversations and try to manipulate what happens, but you can't worry about it. We know how it's going to be. We know we're the younger team."— Ohm Youngmisuk (@NotoriousOHM) September 19, 2020
It is difficult to side with Murray’s assertion as the total fouls called on the two squads did not differ that much in Game 1. The Lakers were called for 28 fouls, while the Nuggets actually had less with 26.
Denver, thought, shot less free throws than Los Angeles, which shot 37 free throws in the game. Anthony Davis took the bulk of those shots as he attempted 15 free throws in the game. The Nuggets, in comparison, took just 28 shots from the stripe.
The Lakers certainly learned their lesson from their two previous series. In the first and second rounds of the playoffs, Los Angeles started slow. The team gave up the first game before winning four straight in each series.
This time around, the Lakers made sure to put away the Nuggets early with a strong defensive effort.
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