Anthony Davis had 17 points on 17 shots against the Nuggets to open the NBA season. However, all 17 of those points came in the first half as the defending champions held AD scoreless in the final 24 minutes to take a 119-107 win in their title defense opener. However, AD's poor performance was only made worse by how much he had hyped the game as a grudge match. "It was just a lot of talking. We get it, y’all won, but me and Bron had some conversations... we can’t wait [to play them]," Davis said during the preseason.
However, the Lakers once again proved no match for the Western Conference preseason favorites. Nikola Jokić opened the season with a triple-double as three Nuggets starters put up at least 20 points. LeBron fittingly opened his 21st season with 21 points but it simply wasn't enough to stop the Denver juggernaut from extending their win streak against the Lakers to six.
AD, Lakers Punished For Their Hubris
Both teams were fairly quiet during the offseason. The Lakers largely focused on locking up their core, with their most notable additions being Gabe Vincent and Cam Reddish. That pair put up a combined 13 points off the bench. Meanwhile, the Nuggets traded for a collection of draft rights and added Justin Holiday, who didn't play in the win. The game firmly set the tone for the season - Denver is the team to beat, LA still doesn't have an answer for them.
However, things don't get any easier for LA. Their next game is against the other Western Conference giant - Phoenix. The Suns knocked off the Warriors to open the season, doing it without Bradley Beal. Meanwhile, Denver takes on the Morant-less Grizzlies later this week. The Grizzlies open against the Pelicans tonight.
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Best Reactions To AD's Performance Versus Denver
How do you think the Western Conference will play out this season? Let us know in the comments.
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