The different Denver Nuggets factions were fed Balkan spirits and Detroit-style slices while they were informed of their playoff opponent.

It’s official that jambalaya is off the menu.

The Nuggets will take on the Lakers for the third time in the previous five years after Los Angeles defeated the Pelicans on Tuesday. The defending champs spent some quality time together at several NBA Play-In Tournament viewing parties on Wednesday before starting their first matchup-focused workout of the week.

For the game, the participants gathered at Nikola Jokic’s home. While placing orders at Blue Pan, a nearby pizzeria, the coaches observed from their office. Head coach Michael Malone commented, “Gotta give them a shoutout, they always take care of us.” “And after the game, we were able to meet and discuss while watching the game.”

After finishing their pizza, the coaches put together a weekly schedule and looked over the matchup players. On the player’s side, in the meantime?

Peyton Watson remarked, “It was a blast.” “When we can all get together, it’s usually a terrific time. And it’s always a privilege to be invited over to the house of the two-time MVP (soon to be three) to play hoops. So without a doubt, I went over there and had a little Rakija. Become acquainted. A small custom just prior to the postseason. Kind of just having fun and bonding a little bit with my guys before we start getting serious about the playoffs.”

There is no team as serious as the Lakers. In the previous four years, these two teams have defeated one another to get to the NBA Finals. Following the Nuggets’ 2023 sweep of Los Angeles, Anthony Davis criticized Denver for carrying on with their off-season trash talk. Malone dismissed the notion that it was turning into a rivalry during training camp. 

“Oh, they’re mentioning us?” he inquired while in San Diego. “Yes, that was approximately four months ago.” Next, the Nuggets went on to win all three of their regular-season games, ruining the installation of the Kobe Bryant statue and LeBron James’ achievement of scoring 40,000 points in career points in two different away games.

It was all building to a rematch in the playoffs, of course.

“We are familiar with them. At Ball Arena on Wednesday, Malone said, “They know us.” “We also know what to anticipate.”

Denver’s practice therefore included elements of the Lakers’ personnel and play ideas, but it also concentrated on more general issues, such the team’s ranking second in transition efficiency and fifth in transition scoring per game in the NBA. Or that the Western Conference’s best offense, spearheaded by LeBron James, averages 55.6 points in the paint.

The main topic of discussion for Malone and Jokic was Denver’s eight-game winning streak versus Los Angeles, which dates back to the regular season of 2022–2023. 

The head coach and the top player played down the notion that the Nuggets present a challenge for the Lakers in their meeting.

Jokic remarked, “I think every game in the playoff series last year was really tough.” It could have gone any way. Even though we defeated them 4-0, their squad has a lot of skill. They have excellent construction.

As I told our players today, it doesn’t matter that we’ve defeated them eight games in a row, despite what everyone continues saying, stated Malone. 

“We know what lies ahead of us; this is a different team and a different series.” It will be extremely difficult to defeat the Lakers in the postseason.

From a scouting standpoint, it does assist to have seen the same group in a best-of-seven series so recently, Jokic admitted. He witnessed everything of the Lakers’ coverage schemes in the 2023 matchup, including single- and double-teams, Anthony Davis as the starting defender, and Rui Hachimura. For a while, even James protected him in the post while Darvin Ham searched for an answer.

Jokic remarked, “I think they match up with us really good and we match up with them really good.” “.. On defense, they have a few different options. 

We can put some other men on their big players on offense. Thus, in terms of basketball, I believe it will be quite intriguing. From a strategic standpoint, I believe it will be quite engaging.