Lakers vs. Nuggets score, takeaways: Nikola Jokic's triple-double leads Denver past LeBron, L.A. in opener

The MVP showed out on ring night for the Nuggets

We may be starting a new NBA season, but the first game we've seen of it looks suspiciously like what we saw last year. The Denver Nuggets swept the Los Angeles Lakers out of the 2023 Western Conference finals, and on the opening night of the 2023-24 season, they took care of their purple and gold rivals once again by a final score of 119-107. Leading the way as you'd expect was two-time MVP Nikola Jokic, who picked up his first triple-double of the young season with 29 points, 11 assists and 13 rebounds.

It was a Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde act for the Lakers on several fronts in defeat. Star big man Anthony Davis gave the Lakers 17 points in the first half but was blanked in the second. The Lakers won the minutes LeBron James spent on the floor by seven points, but lost the minutes he rested by 19. The supporting cast they spent last season revamping was largely quiet, though new addition Taurean Prince impressed with 18 points and four 3-pointers.

It's not going to get any easier for the Lakers, as they have a date with the loaded Phoenix Suns looming on Thursday. The Nuggets, meanwhile, will travel to Memphis on Friday to take on the Grizzlies. We're only one game into this new season, but the Lakers are already playing catch up against the defending champs. Here are the three biggest takeaways from this opening night clash.

1. Who wants to help LeBron?

The Lakers needed the 8-5 stretch they went on while James sat out injured late last season. It got them into the play-in round, yes, but it also proved that this team could survive without its best player. In his first five seasons in Los Angeles, the Lakers were outscored by 674 total points without James on the floor. Whether they had a healthy Anthony Davis or not, prior to that stretch, the Lakers almost always folded without James. When that finally flipped last season, it seemed as though this team was ready to endure the inevitable decline James' age would bring.

Well, James only played 29 minutes on opening night. As we covered, the Lakers won those minutes but still lost the game by double-digits because of how little the bench could do without him. Davis went scoreless in the second half. Their three top guards combined to shoot 11-of-31 from the floor. The newly minted $51 million man, Rui Hachimura, was 3-of-10 and didn't make a 3-pointer. Only newcomer Taurean Prince scored consistently next to James on Tuesday, and he did so largely in a catch-and-shoot capacity.

Poor shooting games happen, but the quality of shots the Lakers were generating when anyone other than James initiated the offense is a genuine concern. James isn't going to play 40 minutes 82 times this season. The theory of this roster was built on other players lifting the offense in the regular season so that James could stay fresh for the playoffs. That didn't happen on opening night.

2. Denver's depth survives its first test

Speaking of teams that have had depth issues in recent years, Denver got outscored by 367 points last season alone when Jokic sat out. Their inability to survive the absence of their star has been even more glaring than the Lakers'. The losses of key reserves Bruce Brown and Jeff Green were supposed to exacerbate that issue this season, but Denver's bench held up its end of the bargain on Tuesday.

Denver lost the non-Jokic minutes by three points, but three of the four reserves that got extended minutes had positive point differentials. Most importantly, Denver won the minutes Reggie Jackson played by 11 points. While Christian Braun is Denver's best reserve, Jackson, by virtue of the shot-creating responsibilities he's inheriting from Brown, is its most important. After struggling to even get on the floor in the playoffs, Jackson looked a bit more like the former starter he was in Detroit in Los Angeles on Tuesday.

The Nuggets have won plenty of basketball games with a bad bench in recent years. The bar is pretty low here. All the Nuggets ask of their reserves is to not lose games singlehandedly. They survived against the Lakers, and while they'll never be a strength in Denver, Michael Malone doesn't have the talent on his bench to ask for much more.

3. There's still no answer for Jokic

When the Lakers tried to let Anthony Davis defend Nikola Jokic one-on-one in the first half, he racked up 19 points and started the game shooting 8-of-10 shooting. The Lakers mixed up their coverages in the second half and more frequently sent help and doubles. No problem. Jokic picked up nine of his 11 assists in the final 24 minutes.

In theory, there isn't a team better suited to defending Jokic in the NBA than the Lakers. Davis is arguably the NBA's best defender. They have enough bulky forwards to run as much of the gimmicky "defend Jokic with the 4 and let the 5 serve as a helper" scheme they frequently employed in the Western Conference finals. They even added a legitimate backup center in Jaxson Hayes over the summer, something they didn't have in the postseason.

It didn't matter because nothing matters against Jokic. Nobody in the league can defend him alone. Once you start doubling him he kills you as a passer. Any notion of scheming against the best player in the world has now flown out the window. You just have to hope you can outscore him.

[Oct 24, 2023 at 9:42 pm ET · Sam Quinn]

That's a wrap

This was a seven-point game roughly two minutes ago. Now it's 14-point lead for the defending champions. With a bit more than three minutes left on the clock, it would take a miracle for the Lakers to claw their way back into this thing. It looks like the defending champs will open the season with a home victory.

[Oct 24, 2023 at 9:40 pm ET · Sam Quinn]

Will Anthony Davis arrive for the final few minutes?

Anthony Davis is somehow still scoreless in the second half. The Lakers have survived largely off of LeBron James since halftime, but trailing by 10 with five to go, the Lakers are going to need some offense out of their All-Star big man.

[Oct 24, 2023 at 9:32 pm ET · Sam Quinn]

The bench minutes continue to kill the Lakers

LeBron James on: Lakers +7

LeBron James off: Lakers -16

The Lakers cannot win this game with James on the bench.

[Oct 24, 2023 at 9:27 pm ET · Sam Quinn]

Lakers' strategy coming together

LeBron James played only 20 out of the first 36 minutes in this game, and he took just 10 shots. But he looks like he's dialed up the intensity to 100% here in the fourth quarter. He has energy and is playing against a tired set of opponents. He's taken three quick shots and the Denver lead is down to four. He's taking a seat now, but if the early fourth is any indication, he'll be at his best when he returns.

[Oct 24, 2023 at 9:24 pm ET · Sam Quinn]

Denver stops the bleeding

The Lakers just came within three points on a 13-0 run before Aaron Gordon drills a 3-pointer that the Lakers dared him to take. Right now, Denver would be happy to just tread water with Nikola Jokic on the bench. They're getting killed without their best player.

[Oct 24, 2023 at 9:19 pm ET · Sam Quinn]

An understated night for LeBron James

As Reggie Miller mentioned, LeBron James has played just 20 minutes with three quarters in the books. He's taken 10 shots, but nearly all of them have come right at the rim. The Lakers seem to be pacing James, refusing to overuse him as he enters his 21st season. Now he should have the energy for a big fourth quarter as the Lakers have cut the Denver lead down to 87-80. 

[Oct 24, 2023 at 9:13 pm ET · Sam Quinn]

Winning without the stars

Neither Nikola Jokic nor Anthony Davis has scored since the pair of bigs dominated the first half. Yet the Nuggets have increased their lead back up to 11. Denver is simply better equipped to win without getting points out of their best player. The Lakers have struggled to create good shots without Davis leading the way.

[Oct 24, 2023 at 9:07 pm ET · Sam Quinn]

The non-LeBron minutes continue to kill the Lakers

The Lakers are only minus-1 in the minutes LeBron James has played. The problem is that they've been outscored by 10 when he's gone to the bench. Anthony Davis has been their best player tonight, but the individual shot-creation he's displayed tonight comes and goes. The rest of the Lakers go as James goes, and so far, none of the other guards have done enough to create for teammates.

[Oct 24, 2023 at 9:05 pm ET · Sam Quinn]

Sending doubles

The Nuggets are willing to dare the Lakers to take 3-pointers, and they've done so lately by throwing late doubles at Anthony Davis so he has to pass the ball out. He's responded by continuing to play aggressive basketball, and it's opening things up for his teammates. 

[Oct 24, 2023 at 9:02 pm ET · Sam Quinn]

Slowing down Jokic

Nikola Jokic started this game 8-of-10 from the field. He's now down to 8-of-16. He's picked up several assists since then, but the Lakers can live with that. They want Jokic passing since they aren't going to double-team him. They're betting they can stop everyone else.

[Oct 24, 2023 at 8:58 pm ET · Sam Quinn]

Taurean Prince living up to his new role

Taurean Prince was a surprise starter for the Lakers. They paid Rui Hachimura a whole lot more money to come back as a free agent, and even though he's injured, Jarred Vanderbilt was the starting power forward last season. But Prince has shined tonight, making three of his five 3-point attempts en route to 13 points overall thus far. He's also played a big role in defending Jamal Murray, who isn't having a great game for Denver. Not bad for the bi-annual exception.

[Oct 24, 2023 at 8:52 pm ET · Sam Quinn]

Nuggets go cold, and the Lakers are scorching hot

The Nuggets scored just three points in the final two minutes of the first half, and after a quick 4-0 Lakers run to start the second half, Michael Malone calls timeout. The Lakers have the lead down to five points, the smallest it's been since the first half.