Defending champion Denver Nuggets started the new season with a clear win against NBA record champions Los Angeles Lakers. After the championship banner and ring ceremony last season, the Nuggets prevailed 119-107.
Lakers star Anthony Davis scored the first points of the new season, but after just a few minutes the Nuggets took the lead and didn’t relinquish it as the game progressed. The Lakers and their superstar LeBron James were no longer able to come within three points of the deficit.
Superstar Jokic dominates the game
“The first half was great,” said Serbian Nikola Jokic, who was the most dominant player in the game with 29 points and, with 13 rebounds and 11 assists, recorded a triple-double right from the start with double-digit values in the most important statistical categories. When asked if the Nuggets were about defending their title, he replied: “I think we have a chance, why not. The core of the team is still here.”
The Nuggets had prevailed against the Lakers in the Western Conference finals on the way to their first title, so before the game the duel was made into a first opportunity for revenge between two rivals in the media. “No, I just play. I don’t pay attention to anything like that. For me it’s all a friendly competition,” said Jamal Murray. “We’ve done a good job of trusting each other.”
Murray was his Nuggets’ second-best scorer with 21 points. James was the best scorer for the Lakers with 21 points, and newcomer Taurean Prince also impressed with 18 points.
In the duel between the other title candidates from the Western Conference, the Phoenix Suns prevailed 108:104 over the Golden State Warriors. Devin Booker with 32 points for the Suns was the best scorer in the Chase Center, Stephen Curry’s 27 points for the Warriors weren’t enough in the end. “It was clear to us that they wouldn’t give up after a good first half from us,” said Booker after the game with twelve lead changes.
