Even though he isn’t part of the Denver Nuggets anymore, two-time NBA champion Kentavious Caldwell-Pope was still an instrumental part of the team during their quest for a ring. However, the two-way guard recently admitted that LeBron James’ Los Angeles Lakers could have won over them during the playoffs last season.
A couple of months ago, the Nuggets eliminated Los Angeles from the 2024 NBA playoffs, winning the series 4-1. This marks the second consecutive year the Nikola Jokic-led team have defeated LeBron James and company in the playoffs, as they also swept them in the 2023 Western Conference finals.
The Nuggets’ victory was led by strong performances from Jamal Murray, Nikola Jokic, and Michael Porter Jr. Murray hit the game-winning shot in Game five, while Jokic recorded a double-double with 25 points, 20 rebounds, and 9 assists.
The Lakers will need to address their 3-point shooting and overall offensive production, as they were ranked 15th in the league in points per 100 possessions. Additionally, the team’s health will be a critical factor, as they dealt with various injuries throughout the regular season.
After their elimination, the Lakers have hired JJ Reddick as the new head coach and locked James to a new two-year deal. Moreover, the front office selected Dalton Knecht and Bronny James during the 2024 NBA Draft to infuse the roster with youth.
Ex-Denver Nuggets Star Kentavious Caldwell-Pope Admits Los Angeles Lakers Should Have Won 2024 Playoffs
Just recently, Caldwell-Pope appeared on The Draymond Green Show to talk about a variety of topics. In a video shared by NBA-Fan on X, the two-time NBA champion felt James’ Lakers could have won their first playoff series against them.
“We felt the Lakers should have beat us.”
— KCP on the Nuggets/Lakers matchup.
🎥 (The Draymond Green Show)
— 🎗NBA•Fan🎗 (@Klutch_23) July 24, 2024
The Nuggets finished second in the Western Conference with a 57-25 record last season. KCP’s admission that his former team was gassed out by the start of the playoffs could have led the Purple and Gold to win the first round back then. If that happened, the postseason in the West could have gone on differently.
While Caldwell-Pope’s admission is certainly intriguing, it won’t change the fact that the Lakers exited early and other teams rose up in the playoffs a few months back. Still, it could have been a different story if the Nuggets didn’t play like champions against Los Angeles a couple of months ago.
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