Magic - Cavaliers
Suns - Timberwolves
Sixers - Knicks
Lakers - Nuggets
My day 1 expectations. Home teams should win at home since this is first game and the crowds support would be amazing.
I thought the Lakers would make the difference but it's only at the first half. Jokic went MVP mode and KCP switched his eagle eye on. The Nuggets are strong and it's proven today. We know Davis is one of the elite defenders below the rim but today Jokic still managed to score 32 points against him.
I think the recipe for the Lakers to win is on D'Angelo Russell and Rui Hachimura. If those two great players could get hot early in the game then they might have a chance to win against the defending champions Denver Nuggets.
Lebron and AD are doing their jobs without any doubts but someone in their team must step up their game to contribute to the offense. In the 3rd quarter all they did was turnovers unless the ball goes to AD which can score against Jokic but the same play could not work over and over again.
Lakers only to win against Nuggets is when Michael Porter and Murray choke since Jokic will be tire out doing things on his own to carry the team. Having a good stamina for Jokic all throughout the game is very hard to beat especially on playoffs mode regardless if Russell and other players step up for Lakers.
The secret why Nuggets is a strong team especially in Playoffs is Jokic can do both score, assists and defense. He can solo the team when he is not tired so the team is unbeatable if his other teammates is contributing a lot to help him.
Either put Jokic in early foul trouble or lock him down to limit him on creating a play for his teammates.
Or the Lakers should bring back the one that did play good defense with the Lakers, Dwight Howard. But it's too late, Jokic has matured and evolved and maybe he will have to thanks the like do Draymond or Dwight for playing him that hard that's why he improved.
Sorry for the Lakers, fans thought that they will have a good chance to steal game 1, saw lots of Tweets after first quarter saying that the Lakers are going to win. But they went silent after the 2nd and 3rd quarter as the Nuggets come back and never give the Lakers a to comeback.