Lakers-Nuggets Preview: Three’s the Magic Number

When it comes to the Western Conference series between the Lakers and Nuggets, the Threes have it.

First, the Lakers swept all three regular season games by an average of 16 points.

Secondly, three of the NBA’s top four scorers are in this series. Kobe Bryant (28.3 ppg) was second behind LeBron James (30). Allen Iverson (26.4) was third and Carmelo Anthony (25.7) fourth.

The Number 3 has also given George Karl some concern. "They shoot the 3 so well that how we shoot the 3 will be felt a little bit...I don't think we have to shoot as many or as well as they do, but we can't have the lopsidedness of the 3-ball statistically right now."

During their 3-0 regular-season sweep of the Nuggets, the Lakers made at least nine (3x3) 3-pointers in each game, totaling 30 (10X3) in all three games. Denver only hit on 12 (4x3).

With a small back court, don’t expect the Nuggets to cut that differential. Iverson (6’0") will face up against Bryant (6’6"), a prolific 3-point shooter. Coming off the Lakers bench, Sasha Vujacic (6’7") has one of the top 3-point percentages (43.7%) in the NBA.

But undoubtedly the deciding factor in this series will be the Third Man

As Phil Jackson tells it, "Usually, in this game you don't want the third person to be involved in it. You have two people (Iverson and Anthony) supplying 50 to 60 points, you don't want a third person to contribute another 20 points. However, with this team, they get so many fast-break points," Jackson cautioned," other people are going to contribute."

The Third Man for the Lakers behind Bryant and Pau Gasol is Lamar Odom having a career season with14.2 points per game, 10.6 rebounds and 3.5 assists.

But who will fill the Third Man role for the Nuggets? Will it be Kenyon Martin (12.4)?  Linus Kleiza (11.1)?

Jackson offered another name. "J.R. Smith (12.3) has had a phenomenal second half (of the season). It's changed their game. It's given them a real punch off the bench. Chucky Atkins is back after missing 50-something games. So there's going to be some personnel we haven't seen."

As Jackson noted, J. R. Smith is playing better. He is shooting 40% on three-pointers. Another player the Lakers haven’t seen is Nene, who missed 2 ½ months after surgery to remove a malignant testicular tumor. He will return to the front court to help out Marcus Camby, last year's Defensive Player of the Year, who finished second in the league in rebounding (13.1 average).

Although they played three times, the Lakers really didn’t see much of Carmelo Anthony. He played in only one full game. He was ejected for roughing Sasha Vujacic on November 29^th and sprained his ankle in the January 21^st game.

Finally, the Lakers will surely miss their Number 3, Trevor Ariza. A tough defender at the number 3 small forward position, Ariza has missed the last three months with a broken foot.