The Lakers resemble Prometheus, except instead of being bound to a rock, they are tethered to play-in contention, battling to secure a spot in the postseason. Instead of an eagle feasting on their liver, it’s the Denver Nuggets snatching victory just when they believed they would triumph.

Monday’s loss to the Nuggets was particularly harsh. Despite holding a lead of up to 20 points, the Lakers succumbed to Denver’s formidable performance in the fourth quarter. Jamal Murray’s game-winning shot over Anthony Davis sealed the Nuggets’ 101-99 victory.

Here are three significant insights gleaned from the defeat:

The battle for rebounds was lost, a point emphasized by head coach Darvin Ham, who highlighted offensive rebounding as the Lakers’ primary area for improvement in Game 2. For the initial two quarters, they showed improvement in this aspect. However, basketball is a game of four quarters, and in the latter half, the Lakers were outperformed on the boards, being outrebounded 24-16 by Denver.

The Nuggets capitalized on these additional possessions, rallying themselves back into contention and ultimately seizing victory from the brink of defeat. Against formidable opponents like the defending champions Denver, there’s no room for mistakes or being outplayed. Unfortunately, such errors plagued the Lakers in the third and fourth quarters, resulting in their 0-2 series deficit rather than a 1-1 tie.

The loss was compounded by several small but impactful mistakes. Spencer Dinwiddie’s lackluster performance, contributing zero points and the team’s worst plus-minus at -9, highlighted a coaching decision that backfired. Anthony Davis’s stellar 32-point, 11-rebound performance was marred by foul trouble, with his fourth foul forcing him to the bench late in the third quarter, allowing Denver to mount a comeback.

The stark reality is evident after ten games and two playoff series: the Denver Nuggets are undeniably superior to the Los Angeles Lakers. Despite defensive prowess and elite performances from stars and role players alike, the Lakers find themselves consistently outmatched by the Nuggets. Whether it’s Aaron Gordon’s contributions in previous matchups, Nikola Jokic’s dominance, or Jamal Murray’s clutch performances, the Nuggets consistently find ways to emerge victorious.

For the Lakers, each game feels like a repetition of the same narrative, with different players stepping up or disappointing, but the end result remains unchanged: defeat at the hands of the Nuggets. As they prepare for Game 3 in Los Angeles, the Lakers face a daunting task of reversing their fortunes against a formidable opponent.