119-107. The Nuggets of a huge Jokic begin their defense of the ring by defeating the Lakers

Sports Editorial (USA), Oct 24 (EFE).- A fantastic Nikola Jokic led the Denver Nuggets this Tuesday, current NBA champions who uncorked the new season of the North American league with a victory against Los Angeles Lakers (119-107).

Jokic, who last year led the Nuggets to the first title in their history, excelled in the first game of this new NBA campaign with a triple-double of 29 points (12 of 22 shooting), 13 rebounds and 11 assists.

Furthermore, the Denver block began the defense of the ring with a very complete and convincing performance – the entire fifth in double digits of scoring – in which Jamal Murray (21 points and 6 assists) and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (20 points) especially stood out. ).

For the Lakers, Anthony Davis added 17 points and 8 rebounds but disappeared after the break and did not score a single point in the last two quarters.

On the other hand, the incombustible LeBron James, about to turn 39 and already in his 21st season in the league, scored 21 points and 8 rebounds and was the heart until the end of the Lakers who refused to give up despite trailing from the first quarter.

Taurean Prince also shone, excellent in his debut with the Californians with 18 points (4 of 6 on triples).

The Nuggets exploited the points on second chances (17 to only 4 for the Lakers) and did not tremble when the purple and gold got closer on the scoreboard.

This inaugural meeting of the 2023-2024 season came with extra spice after the Denver team swept the Lakers 4-0 in last year’s Western Conference final and both teams exchanged controversial statements and barbs through the media and social networks.

Before the game, the Nuggets received the NBA championship ring and placed the banner of their victory at the top of the Ball Arena.

The Nuggets started the new season as they finished the previous one: devastating their rivals with a devastating offense.

The Lakers stood up at the beginning, with Davis at the helm, but the local starting quintet topped the first quarter with an excellent 60.9% in field goals and with a magnificent Jokic who closed the first period with 10 points and 5 rebounds .

After a very intense start to the game on both sides, the Lakers lost steam little by little and went into the second quarter with a painful 34-20 against after a triple by Reggie Jackson at the buzzer and a sad 32% in attempts to the basket .

The Nuggets threatened to leave the game resolved with a +18 at the beginning of the second quarter that pointed to a blowout, but the Lakers reacted with the help of Davis.

Very willing and aggressive in attack, the center, despite leaving with three fouls at halftime, added 11 points in that period with which the Lakers clung to the scoreboard while Denver’s offense slowed down.

Furthermore, LeBron did his part and the Lakers narrowed the score before going to the locker room (63-54) despite not having found a dam for Jokic’s gale (19 points and 9 rebounds in the first half).

It didn’t take a minute for Mike Malone to call a timeout in the third quarter after the Nuggets conceded two easy baskets on the counterattack against the Lakers eager to march (63-58).

However, this time it was not Jokic but Murray and Gordon who assumed responsibility in Denver and the locals once again opened a gap (80-69 with 4.52 in the third quarter).

Strangely, the Jokic-Davis duel took a break in that quarter, so much so that the Balkan genius only got 3 points and the Angeleno center left empty-handed.

With all this, a basket by Caldwell-Pope placed a +16 that left the Lakers on the ropes, but Darvin Ham’s team responded once again, modeling a partial 0-9 in the last two minutes and reaching the final period with their options intact (87-80).

LeBron stepped on the accelerator and brought the Lakers to just three points, but the Angelenos, as soon as “King James” took a short break, died on the shore again.

Without news of a very disappointing Davis in the second half, the Lakers were unable to complete the comeback and the Nuggets warded off any hint of surprise in the outcome by relying on a sensational Jokic.

Sports Editorial (USA), Oct 24 (EFE).- Nikola Jokic, who scored a triple-double this Tuesday for the Denver Nuggets to start the new NBA season with victory, highlighted that the delivery of the rings champion of 2023, which took place in the previous one, gave them an extra boost to start the campaign with victory.

“I think the ceremony gave us more energy, a boost. We didn’t want to ruin this night,” he said in statements to the American broadcast of the TNT network.

“The first half was incredible for us,” said the Serbian genius, who acknowledged that they later lost some spark against the Lakers who did not give up until the end.

“But at the end of the game we were very good and we won,” he added.

With 29 points, 13 rebounds and 11 assists from a sensational Jokic, the Nuggets began their defense of the ring by defeating the Lakers 119-107.

The Angelenos, who were swept 4-0 last season in the Western final by the Nuggets, could not exact their revenge despite the 21 points and 8 rebounds of a LeBron James who was about to turn 39 and was already in his 21st season in the league.

Anthony Davis added 17 points and 8 rebounds but disappeared after the break and did not score a single point in the last two quarters for the Lakers.

For the Nuggets, the entire starting quintet scored at least 10 points with outstanding performances from Jamal Murray (21 points and 6 assists) and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (20 points).

MVP of last year’s Finals, Jokic was a constant headache for the Lakers and, after the game, he was optimistic about the possibility that the Nuggets could repeat the NBA title, something that no franchise has achieved since the Golden State Warriors in 2017 and 2018.

“We have the core, we have this opportunity. You never know what the season is going to bring, but we have a chance, why not? If we play like today, that our defense was good and our attack was good, I think we have a chance “he indicated.