Austin Rivers Gets Honest About the Los Angeles Lakers’ Struggles As They Fall to the Denver Nuggets in Game 2

Austin Rivers played 11 years in the NBA and is a current NBA analyst for ESPN. He has a keen understanding on what’s happening on the court and discussed his observations on the Pat McAfee Show.

“I feel for them because they played such a great game,” Rivers said of the Lakers’ performance in Game 2. “They’re up 20, they let that collapse, but they outplayed Denver most of the game. They even outplayed Denver first three quarters in the first game. ”

He then pointed out that the Los Angeles Lakers need to have a better understanding of how to protect leads that they create.

“They have not found ways to close like the Nuggets do. That’s my question with them: if the game comes down to a two- or three-point game, I have a hard time betting on the Lakers to pulling out games.”

He then pointed out that, unlike the Lakers, the Nuggets have their late-game plan figured out. Only a few can stop Jamal Murray and Nikola Jokic from making plays down the stretch.

There are still two games before the Lakers are officially out of the playoffs, but they must step up their game. If the team fails to sort out its issues, they will be in for an early summer full of questions and ridicule.