The Los Angeles Lakers beat the New Orleans Pelicans to earn a spot in the NBA playoffs. Congratulations on the win and your prize is a rematch with the very scary Denver Nuggets. The Lakers won 12 of their last 15 games and are starting to finally look like a team that can contend for a championship. 

Anthony Davis played 76 games this year which is the most since 2017/18. Anthony Davis is going to be the key to the Lakers success. HIs inconsistency last year against the Nuggets was a big part of the Lakers not being able to advance. One night he dropped 40 on Jokic and the next he would disappear. If AD can maintain some consistency the Lakers could advance. 

LeBron James is a year older but the fountain of youth he's been drinking from has kept him well hydrated. LBJ averaged 25.7 points, 7.3 rebounds and 8.3 assists per game this season which is an insane stat line for any NBA player, let alone a man that turns 40 this year. It's very hard to count a LeBron James lead team out of any 7 game series.

For the Lakers to win they're going to need role players like Austin Reaves, D'Angelo Russell and Rui Hachimura to not only show up but show out. Russell might be the x factor if he can contain Jamal Murray. It's a forgone conclusion that Nikola Jokic is going to play at an MVP level and there's really no way of stopping him. 

One thing is for sure, the Lakers are not scared. Their first game with the Nuggets is Saturday so the days off are just what the doctor ordered. A rested King James is a scary King James.