Lakers, Nuggets Open 2023-24 NBA Regular Season
The Denver Nuggets will host the Los Angeles Lakers at Ball Arena on Tuesday in the Opening Night of the 2023-24 NBA season.
The Nuggets will open the season as the defending NBA champions following their title in 2022-23, and fortunately for them, they keep the same core that guided them to victory the last time out. Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray will lead the way, while the supporting cast of Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Aaron Gordon and Michael Porter Jr. are all under contract as well. Denver did lose some firepower off the bench following the departures of Bruce Brown and Jeff Green, but it’s not a secret that this team will only go as far as their star duo of Murray and Jokic can take them. The Nuggets went 3-2 in the preseason.
The Nuggets are listing Jay Huff (ribs) and Julian Strawther (ankle) as game-time calls for the season opener. Vlatko Cancar (knee) is out for several more months.
The Lakers made several changes in last season’s trade deadline and improved their roster significantly, making the playoffs and reaching the Western Conference Finals, where the Nuggets swept them. The Lakers decided to keep most of their roster intact for the upcoming campaign, however, and signed two key pieces, Austin Reaves and Rui Hachimura, to long-term deals, while also boosting their depth with the addition of players such as Christian Wood, Gabe Vincent and Taurean Prince. LeBron James and Anthony Davis will carry the team on both ends of the court, but there’s no question this Lakers team is deeper than the one of previous seasons.
The Lakers are mostly healthy for the season opener, though Jarred Vanderbilt (heel) and Jalen Hood-Schifino (knee) are listed as game-time calls.
The Nuggets will open the season as the defending NBA champions following their title in 2022-23, and fortunately for them, they keep the same core that guided them to victory the last time out. Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray will lead the way, while the supporting cast of Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Aaron Gordon and Michael Porter Jr. are all under contract as well. Denver did lose some firepower off the bench following the departures of Bruce Brown and Jeff Green, but it’s not a secret that this team will only go as far as their star duo of Murray and Jokic can take them. The Nuggets went 3-2 in the preseason.
The Nuggets are listing Jay Huff (ribs) and Julian Strawther (ankle) as game-time calls for the season opener. Vlatko Cancar (knee) is out for several more months.
The Lakers made several changes in last season’s trade deadline and improved their roster significantly, making the playoffs and reaching the Western Conference Finals, where the Nuggets swept them. The Lakers decided to keep most of their roster intact for the upcoming campaign, however, and signed two key pieces, Austin Reaves and Rui Hachimura, to long-term deals, while also boosting their depth with the addition of players such as Christian Wood, Gabe Vincent and Taurean Prince. LeBron James and Anthony Davis will carry the team on both ends of the court, but there’s no question this Lakers team is deeper than the one of previous seasons.
The Lakers are mostly healthy for the season opener, though Jarred Vanderbilt (heel) and Jalen Hood-Schifino (knee) are listed as game-time calls.
Suns and Warriors Tangle in Season-Opening Clash
The Phoenix Suns take on the Golden State Warriors at Chase Center on Tuesday night in the opening game of the 2023-24 season for both clubs.
The Suns followed up a 45-37 regular season in the 2022-23 campaign with a Western Conference semifinal-round exit in six games against the Denver Nuggets, an ouster that led to the dismissal of head coach Monty Williams. New head coach Frank Vogel isn't the only symbol of renewal in Phoenix, however, as the team notably brought in sharpshooting Bradley Beal to pair with Devin Booker in a new-look backcourt and also acquired Jusuf Nurkic from the Trail Blazers in a three-team trade in September that saw 2018 first overall pick Deandre Ayton depart the team after five seasons. This offseason also marked Kevin Durant's first with the franchise after his mid-season trade from the Nets in February, with the additional acclimation period raising expectations for the perennial All-Star's production in the coming campaign.
The Suns will list Beal (back) and Booker (toe) as questionable for Tuesday's game.
The Warriors took a step back last season on their way to a 44-38 regular-season record, following a 53-win, championship campaign in 2021-22. Golden State was subsequently ousted from the postseason in the semifinal round by the Lakers in six games, but the team returns largely unchanged, with one notable exception. Perennial All-Star Chris Paul arrived this offseason via trade and will likely alternate between the starting five and the bench. Otherwise, Steve Kerr's squad will continue rely heaviest on Stephen Curry, with familiar quartet of Klay Thompson, Andrew Wiggins, Draymond Green and Kevon Looney. Better health for some of those stars should net an improvement of at least a few wins, considering Curry, Wiggins and Thompson missed a combined 84 games last season.
The Warriors will be without Green (ankle) for Tuesday's contest.
The Suns won the four-game 2022-23 season series between the teams by a 3-1 margin.
The Suns followed up a 45-37 regular season in the 2022-23 campaign with a Western Conference semifinal-round exit in six games against the Denver Nuggets, an ouster that led to the dismissal of head coach Monty Williams. New head coach Frank Vogel isn't the only symbol of renewal in Phoenix, however, as the team notably brought in sharpshooting Bradley Beal to pair with Devin Booker in a new-look backcourt and also acquired Jusuf Nurkic from the Trail Blazers in a three-team trade in September that saw 2018 first overall pick Deandre Ayton depart the team after five seasons. This offseason also marked Kevin Durant's first with the franchise after his mid-season trade from the Nets in February, with the additional acclimation period raising expectations for the perennial All-Star's production in the coming campaign.
The Suns will list Beal (back) and Booker (toe) as questionable for Tuesday's game.
The Warriors took a step back last season on their way to a 44-38 regular-season record, following a 53-win, championship campaign in 2021-22. Golden State was subsequently ousted from the postseason in the semifinal round by the Lakers in six games, but the team returns largely unchanged, with one notable exception. Perennial All-Star Chris Paul arrived this offseason via trade and will likely alternate between the starting five and the bench. Otherwise, Steve Kerr's squad will continue rely heaviest on Stephen Curry, with familiar quartet of Klay Thompson, Andrew Wiggins, Draymond Green and Kevon Looney. Better health for some of those stars should net an improvement of at least a few wins, considering Curry, Wiggins and Thompson missed a combined 84 games last season.
The Warriors will be without Green (ankle) for Tuesday's contest.
The Suns won the four-game 2022-23 season series between the teams by a 3-1 margin.