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The Lakers proved during Games 1 and 2 at Staples Center that they are, as predicted, a much better team with more poise, discipline, and direction, than the Denver Nuggets. (Thankfully, too, because the notion of a team having less poise, discipline, and direction than the Nuggs is kind of frightening…) This afternoon, though, the series moves back to the Mile High City, and the Nuggets will be looking to add a little intrigue, or at least save some face, with a Game 3 win. Here are five things to watch for:

1. The Big Push. Denver (33-8) is a heck of a team on their home floor. They get a big rush from their fans, and will likely charge out hard from the opening tip. LA, however, is no slouch on the road, having run up a 27-14 record away from home, best in the Western Conference. If the Lakers can finish the first quarter within striking distance, they have a very good chance to gain control of the pace and flow of the game, just as they did in Game 1 and 2.
2. Patience. George Karl threw the kitchen sink at Kobe and the Lakers in Game 2, and other than a few short stretches (the first six minutes of the third quarter, for example), the Lakers were very patient and took what Denver gave them. When Kobe was single covered, generally with Kenyon Martin, he hit shots over him, drove the basket a few times, and basically torched Denver. When they went zone in the third, Kobe became a distributor, finding easy looks for Luke Walton and Pau Gasol, among others. When Karl doubled Kobe, he did a great job of either splitting it, or finding the open man. In Game 1, when Kobe’s game was (relatively speaking) off, the Lakers pounded the ball inside. The larger point? If the Lakers are patient and don’t try to force a square peg into a round hole, they’ll get their points, most likely with a decent percentage.
3. The Denver Running Game. For the most part, the Lakers have done a good job limiting Denver’s fast break game. Much of that has come because of decent (for them) transition D, flooding the passing lanes and being hyper aware of getting back defensively. The majority of it, though, has come because the Lakers are controlling break opportunities the other way via excellent offensive discipline. They’re getting the ball inside, pushing pace for easy buckets, and not making it easy for the Nuggets to do their proverbial thing. That needs to change for George Karl’s bunch. First, they have to try and force the Lakers out of their comfort zone. Get them shooting from the outside. Limit the ball movement that opens up easy chances for the Lakers. Make them an iso team, which will force more shots from outside the flow of the offense, and likely create more break chances for the Nuggets. If Denver remains a halfcourt team, this series will be over by Monday night.
4. Jibber Jabber: Why the Nuggets continue to poke Kobe with a stick is beyond me, but they do. He’s not a player worth making angry. It goes to a larger issue of discipline. The Nuggets have shown absolutely none of it through the first two games.
5. Carmelo Anthony: He’s been okay, but not great, in the series. In Game 1, he was 11-26 from the floor, in Game 2, 8-20. But what Melo hasn’t done yet is help establish control for the Nuggets. He was hot early on Wednesday, but as the game went on Anthony became less and less a factor. It can’t be AI and JR Smith, or AI and Linus Kleiza for Denver. Melo has to step up.

The Lakers? Well, they just need to keep doin’ what they’re doin’, and everything will be fine. Today, though, we at SHLA have the sneakin’ suspicion that this will be the game Denver gets to avoid the sweep. They’ll step it up at home, and play a good game. Remember, the Nuggets did win 50 games this year. They don’t suck, even if the Lakers have made them look bad for two games.

Final Score: Denver 118, Lakers 108.

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