Lakers’ late rally falls short in season-opening loss to the Nuggets
DENVER — They all sought to downplay any simmering animosity from a summer of back-and-forth trash talk between the Lakers and NBA champion Denver Nuggets. They all talked about the need to turn the page on last season and look forward to a 2023-24 season that the Lakers and Nuggets were set to open Tuesday night at Ball Arena.
So, when Lakers coach Darvin Ham was asked if his comment on a podcast that “this s— ain’t over” was sending notice to Denver that L.A. is going to be ready in the opener, he went in a different direction.
When Nuggets coach Mike Malone went on a podcast over the summer and said, “Speaking of the Lakers, I just want you guys to know, this is breaking news, I’m thinking about retiring, so don’t tell anybody,” he was asked if those words — seemingly in response to LeBron James’ comments after being swept in the West finals last season — made this game any more spicy for his team.
Yes, the Nuggets swept the Lakers in the Western Conference finals, and a lot of the talk still was about the Lakers, which irritated Malone.
Both coaches were right when they said their teams would be ready, the Nuggets’ 119-107 victory over the Lakers the only thing that mattered after all the talk.
As has happened the previous four seasons, the entirety of the Lakers’ ambitions rest on the shoulders of only two, LeBron James and Anthony Davis.
The Lakers, including the playoffs, have lost six straight to the Nuggets. Does that get old, James was asked.
“Nah, I mean, we got to be better, obviously, when we play them,” said James, who had 21 points, eight rebounds and five assists. “And we had our chances in the Western Conference finals. But that’s over and done with. Tonight is the only thing that was on our mind and we didn’t make enough plays offensively or defensively for stretches and long periods of time to be able to close the game, or to win. So, give credit where credit is due to them.”
The Nuggets let their actions do the talking when they built an 18-point lead in the second quarter.
The Lakers let their actions do the talking when they cut that lead to three in the fourth.
But even with five players scoring in double figures, the Lakers could not overcome the Nuggets because they also had five players score in double figures.
James was efficient with his scoring but he didn’t play a lot, his 29 minutes a topic of conversation after the game.
He was 10 for 16 from the field, but his lack of playing time to open his 21st season at age of 38 was another storyline.
“I always want to be on the floor,” James said. “Especially when you got an opportunity to win a game or you feel like you can make an impact. But this is the system in place and I’m going to follow it.”
Another storyline was the play of Anthony Davis. He didn’t score in the second half after scoring 17 in the first 24 minutes. He missed all six of his field-goal attempts in the second half.
He had eight rebounds, four assists and two blocks, but Davis was a minus-17 in the plus-minus department.
“They started double teaming,” Davis said. “They were trying to crowd the paint. I missed some easy layups around the rim and little jumpers. Just trying to make the right play, give it up to our guys. If I’m doubled, kick it out. Rui [Hachimura] had an open three, Gabe [Vincent] had open threes. They just didn’t fall. But I got to shoot it more.”
Taurean Prince had 18 points, Austin Reaves had 14 points and eight rebounds and D’Angelo Russell had 11 points on four-for-12 shooting.
As in the playoffs, Nikola Jokic was too much for the Lakers to handle. The star big man produced a triple-double with 29 points, 13 rebounds and 11 assists.
Once the crowd knew the Nuggets had the game in hand, it began to chide the Lakers, chanting, “Who’s your dad-dy! “
The reference was to trash talk from Nuggets broadcaster Vic Lombardi, who introduced Malone at the championship parade in June by saying, “He came into this world as the son of a coach, but in these playoffs, he became the Lakers’ daddy.”
The Lakers had bigger things to worry about. They gave up 17 second-chance points and 20 fast-break points.
Video game company 2K Games says it made a donation to help keep a Kobe and Gianna Bryant mural on the wall of Hardcore Fitness in downtown L.A. for another year.
Against an offensive machine like the Nuggets, those stats hurt.
“Obviously they were riding off their championship high,” Ham said. “It’s the first game of the season and we have a lot to get better at and improve. Against a team like that, you make any mistake or you come out flat, they are going to make you pay for it.”
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