"Nuggets got LeBron in a chokehold": Denver's juggernaut against Lakers continuing on "King James" 40k night leaves fans distraught 

The Denver Nuggets spoiled LeBron James' record-setting performance on Saturday by defeating the LA Lakers by double-digits on the night when "The King" surpassed the 40,000-point mark.

The Lakers have been unable to defeat the Nuggets for over a year, with their last victory against them occurring on Dec. 16, 2022. In that game, they secured a 126-108 win when Dennis Schroder, Patrick Beverley, and Russell Westbrook were still part of the team.

Last year's playoffs saw the Nuggets steamroll the Lakers, sweeping them to advance to the Finals, where they ultimately won the championship.

Fans couldn't help but notice the Nuggets' dominance over LeBron James and the Purple and Gold.

“Nuggets got LeBron in a chokehold the same way the Celtics used to before Miami,” one said.

Here are other reactions to the reigning champions’ latest victory against LA on LeBron’s record-setting night:

LeBron finished with a team-high 26 points on 12-of-20 shooting, nine assists, four rebounds and three steals.

He reached the 40,000-point milestone during the early minutes of the second quarter of the game with a layup after a series of moves against Michael Porter Jr.

Anthony Davis and D'Angelo Russell had 17 apiece, while Rui Hachimura and Austin Reaves combined for 42 points.

MVP frontrunner Nikola Jokic scored a game-high 35 with 10 rebounds and seven assists, while Porter Jr., Jamal Murray and Aaron Gordon chalked in 25, 24 and 18 markers, respectively.

Stephen A. Smith says the Lakers don’t measure up in big moments

Stephen A. Smith criticized the Lakers after their latest loss, suggesting they could not perform in big moments.

“I'm quite disgusted," he said. The night Kobe [Bryant's] statue was revealed, they lost. LeBron James passes 40,000 points, they lose that game... It seems like the big moments the Lakers don't measure up to."

LA lost to the Nuggets, 114-106, when the Kobe Bryant statue outside the Crypto.com arena was unveiled.

The team also suffered a loss when LeBron surpassed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's record for most points scored in NBA history, falling 133-130 to the OKC Thunder.

LA has fallen to a 33-29 record after their latest loss, placing them 10th in the Western Conference behind the 34-26 Dallas Mavericks and the 32-27 Golden State Warriors.

Their upcoming schedule includes matchups against playoff teams such as the Thunder, the Sacramento Kings (twice), the Milwaukee Bucks and the Minnesota Timberwolves, followed by a game against the Warriors, who are also contending for a play-in spot.