Every game in the fierce world of the NBA playoffs matters greatly, particularly for teams who have been favorites for a long time like the Los Angeles Lakers. Magic Johnson, voiced his displeasure with the team’s recent 2024 NBA Playoff loss to the Denver Nuggets. The Lakers’ struggles in trying to win in the postseason are highlighted by the aftermath of their defeat and Magic’s critical comments. But what did Johnson say?

The Los Angeles Lakers were within reach of defeating the Denver Nuggets at last. The Lakers, who were trailing 1-0 in their opening-round series in the 2024 NBA Playoffs, overpowered Denver in the first half and took a 20-point advantage early in the third quarter. Magic Johnson’s open evaluation fuels the flames and sparks debates among fans as the Lakers struggle with the fallout from their loss.

Magic Johnson’s thoughts following the Lakers’ loss

After the Lakers’ devastating defeat to the Nuggets, Magic Johnson vented his frustration on “X”. He highlighted in a tweet the lost chances and seeming flaws of some players, such as Austin Reaves and Rui Hachimura. Johnson expressed, “Last night I was so devastated I couldn’t even tweet 💔 An unbelievable shot by Jamal Murray, and an outstanding comeback by the Nuggets.” Magic’s remarks highlight the high standards that surround the Lakers and the criticism that follows a loss.

In a tweet, Magic emphasized the accomplishments of important players like Anthony Davis and LeBron James while sharply criticizing others for falling short when it counted. Johnson noted, “The Lakers have nobody to blame but themselves. They did everything they were supposed to do but win the game! AD and LeBron both did their part, they got scoring help from Russell, and they still lost”. Magic Johnson, a Lakers legend, has publicly criticized the team, which is a blow that puts more pressure on them to win the rest of the playoffs. Nevertheless, the refs weren’t the cause of the Lakers blowing a 20-point advantage.

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Lakers’ after-game thoughts: The referees’ position

Several reasons led to the Lakers’ decline, which was visible in their defeat versus the Nuggets. Though the squad got off to a great start and had some big performances from players like LeBron James and Anthony Davis, they stumbled at key times. Austin Reaves and Rui Hachimura were two important players who found it difficult to have a big influence, drawing criticism and attention from observers. With another masterful display from Nikola Jokic and some clutch shooting from Jamal Murray in the fourth quarter, the Nuggets stormed back in the 2nd half. The game and the series were swept by Denver due to a picture-perfect buzzer-beater by Jamal Murray against Anthony Davis in the closing minutes of the 4 quarter.

Murray was awful for the first three-quarters of the game, but in the fourth, he took off, scoring 14 of his 20 points. The Lakers offered a different rationale for their defeat after the game: the referees had misled them. Following the game, D’Angelo Russell, LeBron James, and head coach Darvin Ham all referred to the referees. After the game, Ham remarked, “Some tough calls, some tough non-calls.” Russell also spoke about the referees. “Questionable calls really dictated a lot,” the Lakers guard stated following the game’s conclusion. “We all saw it.”

Ultimately, Magic Johnson, a legend of the Lakers, has “blamed” the team and is disappointed about the Lakers’ chances of making it to the postseason after their loss to the Nuggets.