Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James will have a chance to avenge last year’s Western Conference Finals loss the moment the 2023-24 NBA season gets underway. The Lakers will reportedly play the defending champion Denver Nuggets on opening night on Oct. 24, according to The Athletic’s Shams Charania.
The Golden State Warriors and Phoenix Suns will also play on Opening Night, according to Charania.
The Lakers-Nuggets contest is a rematch of last season’s Western Conference Finals, which didn’t go over well for Los Angeles. The Lakers were swept by the Nuggets in the series. Denver then beat the Miami Heat in the NBA Finals in five games.
The Warriors and Suns didn’t face each other in the playoffs last season, but both teams feature massive star power. Stephen Curry, Draymond Green, Chris Paul and Klay Thompson should once again make the Warriors a dangerous team in the West. Deandre Ayton, Bradley Beal, Devin Booker and Kevin Durant will all be looking to regain the top seed in the West after finishing fourth last season.
A few hours after the opening day roster was announced, Charanya reported on the five-match roster for Christmas Day.
The Milwaukee Bucks open against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden today. The Warriors will then wrap up the day against the Nuggets in Denver.
The Nuggets’ opening night appearance should come as no surprise. The team that wins the NBA championship usually plays on Opening Night the following season.
Nuggets big man Nikola Jokic ripped the Lakers into the Western Conference Finals last season, averaging 27.8 points, 14.5 rebounds and 11.8 assists per game. He’ll look to build on that performance, and start a new MVP campaign, when he faces Los Angeles on Opening Night.
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