It is ring night for Nikola Jokic and the Nuggets
The NBA is back! Months of player movement, trade requests, training camp and preseason are over and now the wins and losses start to count on Tuesday night. The season tipped off with the reigning champion Denver Nuggets taking on the Los Angeles Lakers, a rematch of the Western Conference finals. The Nuggets received their rings and raised a banner pregame, while the Lakers will be trying to send a message that this isn’t the same team that got swept in the West finals a season ago. After three quarters of play at Ball Arena, it is Nikola Jokic and the Nuggets who own a lead over the Lakers and LeBron James.
L.A. is motivated to knock the Nuggets off on opening night, with Anthony Davis and LeBron James both sending messages suggesting that they want to exact their revenge on the defending champs. On the other hand, the Nuggets are in a great position to repeat as champions, but with a target on their back it won’t be as easy to fly under the radar as they have been. We’ll have to see if that success from last season carries over, or if a little championship hangover impacts the Nuggets Tuesday night.
