Denver opened the NBA season with a 119-107 win over the LA Lakers. Before the game, there was a long ceremony to award the champions of the previous season. The Nuggets players received their rings and Nikola Jokic received the Finals MVP award.
Denver started strong and led 40-22 in the second quarter. The Lakers did not give up and managed to reduce their deficit to 84:87 at the beginning of the last part, but a little later, with a series of 9:1 points, Denver again pulled away with 103:91 and in the last six minutes did not allow to be caught up.
Nikola Jokic started the season with a triple-double - 29 points, 13 rebounds and 11 assists, Jamal Murray scored 21, and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope added 20. LeBron James was the best scorer for the visiting team with 21 points, 8 rebounds and 5 assists. The Lakers have lost their sixth straight game against the Nuggets and still don't have a win against them in the 2023 calendar year.
In the other game of the first night of the season, Phoenix won 108:104 over Golden State. Devin Booker scored 32 points for the winners, and Kevin Durant added 18. Steph Curry finished with 27 for Golden State. /BGNES
