The new NBA season kicked off with a game between the reigning champions, the Denver Nuggets, and the Los Angeles Lakers, with the home team prevailing 119-107.
The result was the same as in the conference finals rematch. Nikola Jokic began the season in the best possible way with a triple-double, marking his 106th in his career. He scored 29 points, grabbed 13 rebounds, and dished out 11 assists against the Lakers, securing his sixth consecutive win over the Los Angeles team. The game was played in a celebratory atmosphere as the reigning champions were awarded their championship rings before the game.
Denver led from the start, controlled the game, and in the first half, they went on a 19-4 run to take a 37-20 lead. Their largest lead was 42-24, but the Lakers managed to close the gap to 63-54 by the end of the half. The rest of the game followed a similar pattern, with Denver maintaining the lead, and the Lakers struggling to mount a serious comeback.
In addition to Jokic, Jamal Murray contributed 21 points, and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope added 20 for the home team. On the other side, LeBron James led the Lakers with 21 points, Taurean Prince scored 18, and Anthony Davis chipped in with 17.
In the second game played tonight in the NBA, Phoenix defeated Golden State 108-104. Steve Kerr’s team played exceptionally well in the third quarter, winning that period 40-19, giving them an 88-80 lead going into the decisive 12 minutes. However, they couldn’t maintain it.
Devin Booker led the Suns with 32 points, while Kevin Durant contributed 18 points and 11 rebounds, Josh Okogie scored 17, and Jusuf Nurkic finished the game with 14 points and 14 rebounds.
On the other side, Steph Curry was the top scorer with 27 points, Klay Thompson added 15, and Chris Paul scored one point less.