3 takeaways from the Nuggets' game one win over the Lakers

Nikola Jokic > LeBron and AD

The Lakers came out with guns blazing and their two stars were incredible in the first half. LeBron and AD were both close to 20 points before halftime and were doing it all for their team, but they faded down the stretch while it seemed like the Joker got better and better.

This is nothing new, but it’s notable as it appeared that the Lakers stars came out with a little something extra. But James and Davis can’t carry the team for 45 minutes a night and they are going to need to be able to trust their teammates and rely on them to do more.

The Nuggets started slow but got going and Jokic just kept sticking the dagger into the Lakers again and again in the second half. When the Lakers guarded Jokic with one guy, he was more than happy to take it inside and score. When the Lakers sent extra help he was happy to set up his teammates, who hit big shots when needed.

It was a great reminder of how incredible Jokic is and all the ways he can dominate a basketball game. The Lakers talked a lot about adjustments and new strategies, but at the end of the day, this looked like an extension of the previous eight games - which were all Denver wins. I’m not sure there is anything the Lakers can do to change the math at this point, but it’s clear they have to try something different.