Denver’s fourth-quarter collapse against the Lakers Sunday night was so pitiful it made Malik Monk and Austin Reaves look like Steph Curry and Klay Thompson.
The two combined for 36 points in the fourth quarter and overtime of Sunday’s loss, which was simultaneously meaningless in the grand scheme of the playoff picture, but an ugly reminder of what can happen if the Nuggets let their guard down.
The first-round playoff matchup against the Warriors starting Saturday was coming regardless of whether or not the Nuggets could hold onto a 17-point fourth-quarter lead against the LeBron-less Lakers.