LeBron James: Nikola Jokić's Nuggets Best Playoff Team I've Faced in Lakers Tenure

LeBron James paid a massive compliment to the Denver Nuggets on Monday night after his Los Angeles Lakers got swept out of the Western Conference Finals.

According to Jovan Buha of The Athletic, the 38-year-old called this year's Nuggets the best team he and Anthony Davis have faced in the playoffs during their four seasons together in L.A.

That includes their first year as teammates in 2019-20 when they won a championship by beating Denver in the Western Conference Finals and the Miami Heat in the NBA Finals.

Also, the Lakers fell to the eventual Western Conference champion Phoenix Suns in the first round the following season.

While there was some thought that a team like the Lakers, Suns, Memphis Grizzlies, Los Angeles Clippers or Golden State Warriors could give the Nuggets a run for their money in these playoffs, Denver further cemented itself as the top team in the Western Conference by far.

With two-time NBA MVP and Western Conference Finals MVP Nikola Jokić leading the way, the Nuggets posted a Western Conference-best record of 53-29 during the regular season.

They are also an impressive 12-3 during the playoffs thus far, beating the Minnesota Timberwolves 4-1 and Suns 4-2 before sweeping the Lakers.

Jokić fell just short of winning his third consecutive NBA MVP Award, as the voters instead gave it to Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid, who led the league in scoring for the second straight year.

A strong case could be made for the Serb deserving the award, though, as he averaged 24.5 points, 11.8 rebounds and 9.8 assists per game during the regular season.

Jokić has somehow been even more dominant during the most important time of the year, averaging 29.9 points, 13.3 rebounds and 10.3 assists per contest in 15 playoff games.

The 28-year-old dropped a 30-point, 14-rebound, 13-assist triple-double in 45 minutes on Monday night, including hitting the series-winning shot with 51 seconds remaining.

If the big man and Denver can close the deal and win a championship, it would cap one of the greatest individual seasons in NBA history.

After taking down the Lakers, Jokić and the Nuggets await the winners of the Eastern Conference Finals with the eighth-seeded Heat currently leading the second-seeded Boston Celtics 3-0.