DENVER (KDVR) — The Denver Nuggets are once again set to face the Los Angeles Lakers for the Western Conference finals.
It’s a matchup that brings tough memories for Nuggets fans.
The Nuggets have lost all seven times they’ve faced the Lakers in the playoffs. That includes inside the NBA bubble in 2020. And the 2009 matchup still lingers large in fans’ memories, when the team lost to Kobe Bryant’s Lakers.
In both years — and when the same scenario played out in 1985 — the Lakers won the championship. But today, the Nuggets are staying focused on the present.
“Getting to the NBA Finals is all that matters,” Nuggets coach Michael Malone said. “The fact that it’s the Lakers makes it probably that much more special for a lot of people that support us, and if that’s going to allow Ball Arena to be that much more excited and crazy, then I’m all for it.”
The Nuggets are an NBA-best 40-7 at home and have won all six of their playoff games at Ball Arena. The Lakers, meanwhile, fell to the play-in tournament this season.
When are the Nuggets-Lakers games?
Denver and Los Angeles meet for the fourth time in the NBA Western Conference finals beginning Tuesday night at Ball Arena. The series continues every other day until a team gets four wins.
Here is the schedule, with games 5-7 only happening if necessary:
- Game 1: Tuesday, May 16, Denver, 6:30 p.m. MDT
- Game 2: Thursday, May 18, Denver, 6:30 p.m. MDT
- Game 3: Saturday, May 20, Los Angeles, 6:30 p.m. MDT
- Game 4: Monday, May 22, Los Angeles, 6:30 p.m. MDT
- Game 5: Wednesday, May 24, Denver, 6:30 p.m. MDT
- Game 6: Friday, May 26, Los Angeles, 6:30 p.m. MDT
- Game 7: Sunday, May 28, Denver, 6:30 p.m. MDT
All games will be broadcast on ESPN and on Altitude Sports Radio 92.5 FM.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.