The 2023-24 NBA season kicked off with the Los Angeles Lakers taking on the Denver Nuggets. Although Denver started well, the Lakers have not given up hope. The four-game sweep by Denver in the 2023 Western Conference Finals started the rivalry between the Lakers and the Nuggets. LeBron James taking Reggie Jackson’s shot fake in a recent highlight play suggests the controversy is far from over.

Did someone sham LeBron James? A shoe perhaps, which caused him to fall.

Jamal Murray made a dribble move down the baseline and found Reggie Jackson cutting to the basket in the wing. James went down after Jackson’s pump fake.

The camera angle suggests that James was tricked. However, a closer look at James’s foot on the live broadcast revealed that he had trodden on Jackson’s sneaker. As a result, he stumbled and fell backward. Fans in Denver, however, believe that LeBron suffered fractured ankles during the game.

The thrilling Western Conference Finals showdown keeps producing amazing plays. The Lakers were down by nine points at the break, but there had been some impressive individual efforts. LeBron James scored 10 points and added two assists and five rebounds, while Anthony Davis scored 17 points.

Los Angeles needs to tighten up their defense if they want to catch Denver. Furthermore, Denver had a 38.7 percent three-point clip compared to Los Angeles’s 30%. The Lakers have a chance to pull within striking distance if they can improve their long-range shooting.

Nikola Jokic has 19 points and is Denver’s leading scorer, of course. As the second half of the fight begins in the Mile High City, it appears to be a battle of the big guys. Maybe Reggie Jackson’s defense on LeBron will rouse the sleeping giant and spark a run by Los Angeles.