After LeBron James and the LA Lakers lost to Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets 119-107, the 2023–24 NBA season has officially begun. Fans were looking forward to this game because it was a rematch of the Western Conference Finals (WCF) between the two teams. The Lakers were swept by the Nuggets in the WCF the last time the two teams faced off. Regrettably, LA succumbed to the reigning champions after failing to strike first.
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:
#1) Nikola Jokic is the best player in the NBA today
The previous season was quite the journey for Nikola Jokic. Many contend that he was denied the opportunity to win the NBA MVP award three times in a row. Jokic led the Denver Nuggets to their first NBA title in franchise history in spite of the problem.
In the 2023–24 season, it seems as though the “Joker” would not give up on his goal of defending the crown. With a triple-double performance on ring night, Jokic produced a tremendous game. Even though the season has only begun, the Serbian powerhouse is already causing ripples around the league. On their special night, Jokic scored 29 points, grabbed 13 rebounds, and disheveled 11 assists to prevent the LA Lakers from humbling the Nuggets.
Considering all of that, it is certain that Nikola Jokic has established himself as the top player in the league right now. Even though some could disagree, the proof is unmistakable, and he can’t be stopped now.
#2) The Lakers still rely too much on LeBron James
LeBron James is still leading the Los Angeles Lakers in his 21st year of play. LeBron will turn 39 later this year, so you should probably expect to see him play less minutes than normal. Regretfully, considering how difficult it has been for the Lakers to stay competitive while “King James” has been on the bench, that is a gamble they are now unable to afford to take.
Though it’s encouraging to know that LeBron James will continue to play at his peak level, one can’t help but feel sorry for him given that, at this stage of his career, he ought to already be stepping back from the spotlight.Without James constantly coming to their aid, Anthony Davis and the Lakers team will need to improve if they want to win.
#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.