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The 2023-24 NBA season has finally commenced after LeBron James and the LA Lakers faced Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets in a 119-107 loss. The matchup between both teams was highly anticipated by fans considering it was a Western Conference finals (WCF) rematch. The last time the two teams did battle, we saw the Lakers get swept by the Nuggets in the WCF. Unfortunately, LA failed to draw first blood and lost to the defending champions.
While many already saw the Nuggets coming out on top, there was a bit of hope that the new and supposedly improved Lakers squad could've pulled off an upset. With that said, let's take a look at three things we've learned from LA's loss to Denver on opening night:
LeBron James vs Nikola Jokic: 3 takeaways from their recent matchup
#1) Nikola Jokic is the best player in the NBA today
Last season was a roller coaster ride for Nikola Jokic. Many argue that he was robbed of becoming a three-time NBA MVP in three consecutive years. Despite that issue, Jokic successfully carried the Denver Nuggets to their first NBA championship in franchise history.
Fast forward to the 2023-24 season, and it appears there's no stopping the "Joker" in his quest to defend the title. Jokic came up with a monstrous game on ring night with a triple-double outing. It's only the first game of the season and the Serbian giant is already sending shockwaves across the league. Jokic put up 29 points, 13 rebounds and 11 assists to stop the LA Lakers from embarrassing the Nuggets on their special night.
With all that in mind, it's clear that Nikola Jokic has certified himself as the league's best player today. Some may argue otherwise, but the evidence is clear as day and there's no stopping him at this point.
#2) The Lakers still rely too much on LeBron James
It's year 21 for LeBron James and he's still carrying the LA Lakers on his back. Soon turning 39 years old later this year, you'd expect to see LeBron play fewer minutes than usual. Unfortunately, that's a risk that the Lakers can't afford to take at the moment given how they've struggled to keep up with the Denver Nuggets with "King James" on the bench.
While it's heartwarming to know that fans will still see LeBron James playing at his best, one can't help but feel for him considering how he should already be taking a step back from the spotlight at this point in his career. Anthony Davis and the rest of the Lakers squad will have to step up their game if they wish to win without James always coming to their rescue.
#3) The Lakers lack chemistry
Given how the LA Lakers have made a lot of adjustments to their roster over the summer, it was already expected that the team would run into some chemistry issues at the beginning of the season. The Purple and Gold have more work to be done in practice. As stated above, the team still relies heavily on LeBron James to take over games.
In all fairness to the Lakers though, they showed a lot of promise on opening night against the defending champions. Despite their lack of chemistry and ball movement, they managed to keep the game within reach and made it seem like they could win the game at one point. With that kind of potential, it's likely for the LA side to become a bigger threat later in the season once they start clicking.
