The Denver Nuggets spoiled the return of LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers with a 115-109 victory on Tuesday night in the NBA season opener. The Nuggets, who won their first-ever NBA title last season, overcame a 12-point deficit in the fourth quarter and used a late 13-0 run to seal the win.
Jokic and Murray lead the way for Denver
The Nuggets were led by their star duo of Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray, who combined for 59 points, 18 rebounds and 15 assists. Jokic, the two-time MVP, had a triple-double with 28 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists, while Murray scored 31 points on 12-of-23 shooting. Jokic hit several clutch shots down the stretch, including a fadeaway jumper over Anthony Davis that gave Denver a 108-105 lead with 1:24 left. Murray also made some big plays in the final minutes, including a three-pointer that capped the decisive run and put the Nuggets up by nine with 36 seconds to go.
LeBron’s comeback falls short for Lakers
The Lakers were hoping to bounce back from a disappointing season that ended with a sweep by the Nuggets in the Western Conference finals. They welcomed back LeBron James, who missed most of last season with a torn Achilles tendon. James looked healthy and explosive, scoring 27 points on 10-of-19 shooting, along with eight rebounds and seven assists. He also had a highlight-reel dunk over Jokic in the third quarter that brought the crowd to its feet. However, he could not prevent the Lakers from collapsing in the fourth quarter, as they were outscored 34-16 by the Nuggets. James also committed six turnovers and missed four free throws in the game.
New faces struggle for Lakers
The Lakers made some major changes to their roster in the offseason, adding Russell Westbrook, Carmelo Anthony, Dwight Howard and Malik Monk among others. However, none of them had a good debut for their new team. Westbrook, who was traded from the Wizards for Kyle Kuzma, Montrezl Harrell and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, had a dismal night, scoring only eight points on 4-of-13 shooting, along with five rebounds and four assists. He also had four turnovers and was benched for most of the fourth quarter. Anthony, who signed as a free agent after playing for the Trail Blazers last season, had nine points on 3-of-9 shooting, while Howard and Monk combined for six points on 2-of-8 shooting.
What’s next for both teams?
The Nuggets will look to build on their impressive win when they host the Golden State Warriors on Thursday night. The Warriors are coming off a thrilling win over the Phoenix Suns in their opener, led by Stephen Curry’s 41 points and 10 rebounds. The Lakers will try to bounce back when they face the Houston Rockets on Friday night at home. The Rockets are expected to be one of the worst teams in the league this season, as they are rebuilding after trading James Harden to the Nets last season.
