There are no spiritual victories in the playoffs, and the Lakers will never win them. But for the second series in a row, and this time even more so, they went head-to-head with the champions and gave it everything they had.
Monday's Game 5 was a classic shutout game, with one team fighting for its life and the other team doing everything they could to counter that desperation.
The end result was the most common outcome throughout the series, both a Denver win and Jamal Murray's game-winner. But there was no shame in losing in that game, against that team, in that arena.
Let's take a look at three takeaways from this match.
instant classic
It was all about a heavyweight showdown between the best teams in the league. Never mind that the Lakers lost the first round of the series out of five games. They are one of the best teams in the league.
At some point, you'll be able to watch those fourth-quarter highlights without feeling as anxious and nervous as you did when you experienced them live. It was as tense an exchange as I can remember because it really felt like something was up in the air.A win in Denver would send the Lakers back home for Game 6; Really Make things interesting.
But both teams had an answer for everything they threw at each other. Austin Reeves was great until the end. LeBron James was LeBron James. D'Angelo Russell also chipped in.
In the end, there was little to separate these two teams. In fact, through five games, the difference between the two teams was less than a dozen points.
The Lakers lost five games and trailed by 11 points in the series overall.
— Jackson Frank (@jackfrank_jjf) April 30, 2024
But even if it was a close game, losing eight of nine games to the Nuggets in this year's playoffs won't raise any flags.
free throws and 3 point shots
Whenever you lose a game by a close margin, there are small things you can point out that made a difference. Anthony Davis' injury was one of the bigger ones, as he spent a good portion of the third quarter with only one functioning arm.
But to me, the biggest thing for the Lakers to look back on and push themselves is free throws and 3-point shooting.
At the charity stripe, the Lakers were 18-27 overall, which were really, really tough numbers to watch in a game decided by two points. LeBron, Austin Reaves, and Spencer Dinwiddie all missed two, Rui Hachimura, Anthony Davis, and Jackson Hayes all missed one, and they all focused on that one.
Either Reaves, who has shot 85 percent from free throws this year, makes two free throws after getting fouled on a 3-point shot, Dinwiddie, who is an 88 percent shooter for the Lakers, makes a pair, or Louis makes one. If you make it and Reeves makes two – 3, it's a different game.
Similarly, the Lakers' 3-point shooting was strong. D-Lo led the way going 2-of-10 from deep. However, Taurean Prince and Gabe Vincent were off the bench at 0-5, and Louis missed a wide-open look early in the game.
However, they will have to grab a narrow lead to beat the Nuggets. The Lakers didn't, and unsurprisingly, they were eliminated from the playoffs because of it.
What's next?
The Lakers being eliminated from the playoffs was less embarrassing than being swept last year. Indeed, the team fought hard and that will remain in the memories of the fans. But in reality, they've lost eight of nine games to this team in the postseason and 12 of their last 13 overall.
So where do they go from here? Reports have already surfaced that head coach Darvin Ham's job is in jeopardy. Who will the Lakers target if he leaves? There are certainly no obvious names, but maybe we'll wait to see how things shake out in the playoffs?
Also, what roster moves will they make? Guys like Trae Young and Donovan Mitchell have been mentioned numerous times in rumors. Are the Lakers going to blow it up and pursue another third star in the offseason after preaching the importance of keeping their core together?
What happens to players with player options like LeBron James and D'Angelo Russell? LeBron certainly looks like the player to stick with the Lakers, but what does the future hold for Dillow after a postseason run that was more bad than good?
As always, it's a very interesting offseason for the Lakers.
You can follow Jacob on Twitter. @JacobRude.
