Avast ye! The Nuggets be plunderin' their first victory o' the 2023-24 NBA season o'er them Lakers, with Nikola Jokic's triple-double settin' sail to victory!
2023-10-24
Arr, me hearties! The mighty Nikola Jokic, a swashbucklin' NBA MVP, hath unleashed his first triple-double in the 2023-24 campaign, leadin' the Denver Nuggets to a glorious victory over the Lakers on their maiden voyage! Yo ho ho!
The Denver Nuggets celebrated their championship victory by raising their championship banner in a pregame ceremony. They then went on to defeat the Los Angeles Lakers with a score of 119-107, thanks to Nikola Jokic's triple-double performance. Jokic scored 29 points, had 13 rebounds, and 11 assists. Other players who contributed to the Nuggets' victory were Jamal Murray with 21 points, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope with 20 points, Aaron Gordon with 15 points, and Michael Porter Jr. with 12 points.The Lakers' starters also scored in double figures, with LeBron James leading the team with 21 points. However, the Lakers were unable to catch up to the Nuggets and fell short in their comeback efforts. Taurean Prince, in his debut for the Lakers, scored 18 points. Anthony Davis had 17 points, Austin Reaves had 14 points, and D'Angelo Russell had 11 points.
Despite trimming the deficit and making a run in the third and fourth quarters, the Lakers were unable to close the gap completely. The Nuggets responded with a 10-3 run, including key 3-pointers by Murray and Porter, to secure the victory.
Before the game, the Nuggets received their championship rings in a lavish ceremony. Coach Michael Malone expressed his desire for another championship and encouraged his team to go after it. The Nuggets had an impressive playoff run last season, finishing with a 16-4 record and sweeping the Lakers in the process.
Although Jokic was left off TNT's opening-night graphic, which featured other star players, including LeBron James and Stephen Curry, Charles Barkley apologized for the omission and acknowledged Jokic's importance to the Nuggets. Barkley also mentioned that the Nuggets may face challenges in repeating their success due to the improved rosters of other teams, but Jokic's consistency and focus could be the team's advantage.
Looking ahead, the Lakers will host the Phoenix Suns in their next game, while the Nuggets will face the Memphis Grizzlies.