The Lakers went 19-8 to finish the regular season then knocked off a hobbled two-seeded Grizzlies squad before taking down the reigning champion Warriors. Reed was cut for former Nugget Shaquille Harrison, who rides the bench. The Nuggets actually sent out Bones Hyland in this deal, moving him to the Clippers and giving Lakers Davon Reed for reserve center Thomas Bryant. Former All-Star D’Angelo Russell came back with former Nuggets Jarred Vanderbilt and Malik Beasley as well as big man Mo Bamba.
The Lakers sent out future Hall of Famer Russell Westbrook, who wasn’t a great fit. this season but both games came before that makeover deadline, rendering them hard to glean much from. The Lakers were a bad team for most of the season, which was remade at the trade deadline. SummaryĪfter starting 2-10 under rookie head coach Darvin Ham, the Lakers earned the seventh seed in the west with a 43-39 record and a win against the Minnesota Timberwolves in the play-in tournament. Denver has only even earned one chance to put the Lakers away, failing to win a Game 7 in the 2008 first round.
But none of that changes these two franchises’ brands, seven times they’ve squared off in playoffs and the Lakers have won all seven. A ton has changed since 2020 between these two clubs but a ton has changed even since the trade deadline for the Lakers.
