Nuggets star Nikola Jokic eclipses LeBron James, Lakers with feat of tying Magic Johnson

Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets opened their NBA title defense with a 119-107 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday night, a team they were eliminated from the Western Conference Finals a year ago Playoff teams. Jokic had an outstanding night, scoring 29 points, 11 assists and 13 rebounds to help Denver win.

Jokic also made some NBA history in victory

According to Sportsnet Stats, he had his second career triple-double in the season opener, tying him with Magic Johnson, Jason Kidd and Russell Westbrook for the second triple-double in history. . Oscar Robertson, who all-time leads the NBA in that category, has four such games.

Jokic’s triple-double performance also improved, preparing for the victory.

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On Tuesday, Nikola Jokic appeared to pick up right where he left off at the end of the 2023 playoffs. In that playoff run, Jokic produced one of the most dominant performances in NBA history, leading the Denver Nuggets to the NBA championship and earning his first career title in the process. Finals MVP. In the playoffs, the Nuggets did not miss elimination, sweeping the Lakers in four games and advancing to the Finals.

Any concerns about a potential “championship hangover” were quickly put to rest on Tuesday night. Jokic and the Nuggets rushed out of the gate after receiving their championship rings and holding flags before the game, quickly building a double-digit lead.

Although the Lakers had an interesting start to the fourth quarter, Jokic’s steady performance helped the Nuggets cross the finish line in the final stages and win.