The Los Angeles Lakers won’t have to wait long to prove they were better than they showed in getting swept in the Western Conference Finals by the Denver Nuggets.
According to NBA insider Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium, the Lakers will visit the NBA champion Nuggets as one of two games on the slate for TNT come opening night on October 24.
That will also be the night the Nuggets receive their rings, and fans are eager to play spoiler.
“Count your days Denver, we coming,” tweeted @BronGotGame.
Denver, of course, dispatched the Lakers swiftly before moving on to face the Miami Heat in the NBA Finals, preventing a rematch of the 2020 NBA Finals when the Lakers beat the Heat in six games. Despite the final results of the individual games and the series, the Lakers did several things better than the Nuggets in the series.
They got to and shot from the free throw line at a higher clip than their counterparts only to fall victim to a 40.3%-to-34.9% disparity from beyond the arc.
Los Angeles can fall back on the fact that their two best players – LeBron James and Anthony Davis – were not at full strength with the former fighting through a foot injury and the latter battling various ailments picked up before and during the series.
“AD masterclass Opening Night confirmed,” tweeted @MrRickySpanish.
Anthony Davis Gets Chance at Redemption
Davis signed a three-year, $186 million contract extension; the largest extension in terms of average annual value in NBA history, per ESPN NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski. He is coming off a strong showing in the Conference Finals, averaging 26.8 points, 14.0 rebounds, 2.8 blocks, 2.3 assists, and 1.3 steals.
He had his hands full with Nuggets superstar and Finals MVP Nikola Jokic, though, and was more effective in a help role against the two-time league MVP.
Remember when Nikola Jokic put 34 points (12-17 shooting), 21 rebounds and 14 assists on Anthony Davis in Game 1.
And then the Lakers switched Davis off of Jokic for the rest of the series.
Perhaps Davis can fare better in this game, though the stakes are quite a bit lower.
“He’s really…talented,” Jokic said about Davis via the NBA following Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals. “Probably the most-skilled guy when you think about the size, what he can do with the ball…Probably one of the most talented players in the league.
There is also a question of just how much the Nuggets – and the Lakers for that matter – will play their starters in Game 1 of 82-plus with the postseason the ultimate goal for any team but especially for the defending champions.
Not Everyone Happy With Lakers-Nuggets Rematch
The other game on the schedule for TNT will see the Phoenix Suns visit the Golden State Warriors, perhaps to the chagrin of some fans of Eastern Conference teams.
“I don’t really get this,” tweeted Sam Quinn of CBS Sports. “The Heat made the Finals. They have a genuine rivalry with the Celtics that includes the last two East Finals. Why not let them play the first game and just play Lakers-Nuggets second? This is harder on West Coast fans anyway.”
@ShamsCharania @TheAthletic @Stadium Every time the East almost takes over the West
But there could be a good reason the Heat and/or Philadelphia 76ers aren’t on the schedule.
“To everyone asking why there aren’t any East teams on opening night: If the Heat and Sixers weren’t currently in trade-request standoffs, I bet there would be,” tweeted Bryan Toporek of Forbes. “Alas.”
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Fans React After Insider Reveals Lakers’ Opening Night Opponent