Even though the 2017 NBA season has just begun, the first game we’ve seen of it seems uncannily similar to what we witnessed throughout the previous year.

The Los Angeles Lakers were eliminated from the Western Conference finals in 2023 by the Denver Nuggets in a three-game sweep. On the opening night of the 2023-24 NBA season, the Nuggets defeated their purple and gold rivals, the Lakers, by a score of 119-107 to continue their dominance. Nikola Jokic, a two-time winner of the Most Valuable Player award, led the way as one might anticipate and recorded his first triple-double of the young season by scoring 29 points, dishing out 11 assists, and grabbing 13 rebounds.

In their loss, the Los Angeles Lakers displayed a Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde act on numerous different fronts. Anthony Davis, the Lakers’ star power forward and center, scored 17 points for his team in the first half but was held scoreless in the second. The Lakers were victorious by seven points for every minute that LeBron James was on the court, but they were defeated by 19 points for every minute that he was on the bench. Taurean Prince, a new player on the team who contributed 18 points and four 3-pointers, stood out while the supporting cast that they worked so hard to improve during the previous season was completely ineffective.

The Lakers are in for a tough game on Thursday, as they are scheduled to take on the formidable Phoenix Suns. Things aren’t going to get much simpler for the Lakers. On the other hand, the Nuggets will play the Grizzlies in a game that will be played in Memphis on Friday. Even though there has only been one game played so far in this new season, the reigning champions already have a significant advantage against the Los Angeles Lakers.