LeBron James earned the NBA MVP award twice in a row (2009-10, 2012-13). Nikola Jokic accomplished the feat in 2021-22 and finished second this season. The superstars will take center stage in the Western Conference finals between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Denver Nuggets. The first game is scheduled for Tuesday in Denver.
Injury Update for Los Angeles Lakers and the Denver Nuggets
History is not on the Denver Nuggets’ side. They have never beaten the Los Angeles Lakers in a postseason series, with three of those defeats coming in the Western Conference finals in 1985, 2009, and 2020.
The Nuggets have never been to the NBA Finals, but they can cross that off their list in the next two weeks if they defeat Los Angeles in the Western Conference finals, which begin on Tuesday night in Denver.
Only LeBron James and Anthony Davis remain from the 2020 conference finals for the Lakers, and Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray, Michael Porter Jr., and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope for Denver. That year, Caldwell-Pope was with Los Angeles.
The Lakers were the higher seed in the last three conference finals matchups (though 2020 was played in the Orlando bubble), but this year they are the underdogs.
Los Angeles restructured its squad on the fly, advanced to the playoffs as a seventh seed via a play-in tournament, and then steamrolled two higher seeds to reach the conference finals.
LeBron James is listed as probable for Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals against the Nuggets on Tuesday, according to Harrison Faigen of SBNation.com.
Considering James hasn’t missed a game this postseason despite the several probable classifications, it’s safe to presume he’ll start Tuesday’s game.
He’s coming off a near triple-double in the series-clinching Game 6 win over the Warriors, recording 30 points, nine rebounds, and nine assists, and he’ll look to carry that momentum into his second NBA Finals appearance in a Lakers uniform.
The Nuggets enjoy home-court advantage and are the No. 1 seed, a position they have held for the majority of the season. They were 34-7 at Ball Arena during the regular season and had won all six home playoff games prior to the Lakers meeting.
They’ll want to take advantage of their home court advantage and advance to the next round, but it won’t be easy. Although the teams split the four regular-season games, all of them occurred before Los Angeles made major moves at the trade deadline.
Rui Hachimura, D’Angelo Russell, Jarrett Vanderbilt, Malik Beasley, and Mo Bamba were all added, and they all had a role in the team’s comeback to make the playoffs.
The role players will be important, but the series will be decided by the stars, and the Lakers must figure out how to limit Jokic’s effect.
In 11 postseason games, the two-time MVP has been practically unbeatable, averaging 30.7 points, 12.8 rebounds, and 9.7 assists with five triple-doubles.
Even with Davis matched up with Jokic, stopping Denver’s center will require more than Davis.
Despite a right foot stress injury, Davis is expected to play in Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals against the Nuggets on Tuesday, according to Harrison Faigen of SBNation.com.
Davis has kept the same probable status throughout the playoffs and hasn’t missed a game, so there’s no reason to be concerned. Expect him to reclaim his starting spot as he prepares for an All-Star game against Nikola Jokic.
Prior to Game 1, both teams are struggling with health challenges. Jamal Murray is categorized as questionable with a non-COVID ailment, which was also his condition prior to Game 6 on Thursday night in Phoenix. In that final game, he scored 26 points in 35 minutes.
Fans of the Nuggets should keep an eye out for updates on Murray’s status following shootaround, but it would be unusual if he sat out, despite the dubious tag claiming it’s 50/50.
Meanwhile, Mo Bamba returned to Los Angeles on Monday for a follow-up appointment on his left ankle scheduled on Tuesday. He’s scheduled to fly to Denver on Tuesday, but he’s labeled as questionable for Game 1.
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Injury Report Lakers:
| PLAYER | INJURY | STATUS |
| LeBron James | Foot | Game Time Decision |
| Mo Bamba | Ankle | Expected to be out until at least May 18 |
| Anthony Davis | Foot | Game Time Decision |
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Injury Report Nuggets:
| PLAYER | INJURY | STATUS |
| Jamal Murray | Illness | Game Time Decision |
| Collin Gillespie | Lower Leg | Out for the season |
