A FAMILIAR RING
Lakers still have no answer for Jokic and champion Nuggets, who win season opener
DENVER ❯❯ For the second consecutive season, the Lakers had the opportunity to play spoilers on an opposing team's “Ring Night,” and just like last year, they came up short.
The Lakers dropped their season opener to the defending champion Denver Nuggets, 119107, at Ball Arena — a rematch of last spring's Western Conference finals to kick off the 202324 NBA season.
THE SCORE
NUGGETS 119, LAKERS 107
Up next: Suns at Lakers, Thursday, 7 p.m., TNT
Inside: Vanderbilt sits out season opener with a sore left heel.
The Lakers matched the Nuggets' offensive firepower to start the game but struggled to consistently keep up with their shotmaking.
“They're very sound in what they do and what they want to get to,” new Lakers forward Taurean Prince said. “It's all about us being the same way defensively, staying alert, not being a step behind.”
And just like in last year's four-game series sweep, the Lakers struggled to find consistent answers defending Nikola Jokic.
The Lakers tried different strategies against the two-time league MVP and reigning Finals MVP, including having Rui Hachimura guard Jokic and Anthony Davis guard Aaron Gordon
during the second quarter.
But Jokic and the Nuggets kept finding answers for whatever the Lakers threw at them. Jokic led the Nuggets with a triple-double: 29 points (12-of22 shooting), 13 rebounds and 11 assists.
Jamal Murray (21 points, six assists) and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (20 points) also scored at least 20 for the Nuggets, and Aaron Gordon had 15 points, seven rebounds and six assists.
SEASON OPENER
Today: Trail Blazers at Clippers, 7:30p.m., BSSC
Inside: The Suns beat the Warriors in an NBA season opener.