Nuggets Begin NBA Title Defense Against Lakers in Tough First-Round Matchup

The Denver Nuggets, the defending NBA champions, will face the Los Angeles Lakers in the first round of the 2024 NBA playoffs. The Nuggets enter the series as the second seed in the Western Conference after losing their top seed due to a loss to the San Antonio Spurs in the regular season finale. The Lakers secured the seventh seed by winning the play-in tournament.

This matchup is a rematch of last year's Western Conference Finals, which the Nuggets swept en route to capturing their first NBA title. However, the Nuggets are facing tougher competition this year as they navigate through improved teams in the West, including the Suns, Timberwolves, Thunder, and Mavericks.

The Lakers, led by LeBron James and Anthony Davis, are one of the few teams that can match up well with the Nuggets' physical frontline. Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray will need to stay healthy for the Nuggets to have a chance at repeating as champions, as they struggled in the playoffs when Murray was sidelined in previous seasons.

Why this matters: The Nuggets' title defense will be a significant challenge this year due to the increased competition in the Western Conference. The outcome of this series could set the tone for the rest of the playoffs and determine if the Nuggets have what it takes to become back-to-back champions.

The Nuggets have dominated the Lakers in recent years, winning 11 of the last 13 matchups, including a sweep in the 2024 Western Conference Finals. Oddsmakers have made the Nuggets heavy favorites to win the series, with Denver being a 6.5- to 7-point favorite in Game 1.

The key for the Lakers will be slowing down Nuggets star Nikola Jokic, who is projected to have a big game in the series opener. "Jokic, the Nuggets' superstar, is widely considered the best player in the NBA today, and his ability to score at will makes his passing even more effective," LeBron James highlighted as a key challenge for the Lakers.

The Nuggets will look to use their home-court advantage and depth to wear down the older Lakers roster. The game is set to take place at Ball Arena in Denver, with the Nuggets being 7-point favorites. The Lakers will need to play "mistake-free basketball" to have a chance against the dominant Nuggets, who have won eight straight games against the Lakers.

Key Takeaways

• Defending champion Nuggets face Lakers in 1st round of 2024 NBA playoffs
• Nuggets lost top seed, Lakers secured 7th seed via play-in tournament
• Nuggets face tougher competition in West, Lakers can match their physical frontline
• Nuggets heavy favorites, need Jokic and Murray healthy to repeat as champions
• Nuggets have dominated Lakers recently, Lakers need mistake-free play to have a chance