‣ The Lakers were surprised by their playoff run last season, reaching the Western Conference Finals.
‣ There is anticipation and motivation within the team to seek revenge against the Nuggets in their regular-season opener.
Lakers vs. Nuggets on Oct. 24th 👀🍿
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport)
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The Lakers surprised everyone last season by making it to the playoffs and reaching the Western Conference Finals. Unfortunately, they were easily swept by Nikola Jokic’s Nuggets, who went on to become the eventual champions. However, the Lakers are eager to seek revenge in their regular-season opener against Denver this year.
Nuggets coach Michael Malone had been outspoken about beating the Lakers and even mocked them, referencing LeBron James’ contemplation of retirement. Anthony Davis finds this trash talk to be motivational, saying, “We can’t wait [to play them again].” Austin Reaves also spoke about the Denver discourse, acknowledging that it was directed at the Lakers and adding, “That’s why everybody was talking about it.”
Even LeBron himself addressed the mockery on his Instagram, indicating that he is aware of the constant focus on him. However, Reaves prefers to stay away from social media and focus on playing the game instead. He believes that the season opener against Denver is a big night for them, as they will be raising their championship banner, but he hopes to start the Lakers’ season off on a positive note with a win.
Despite the anticipation for the upcoming game, Reaves admits that he often thinks about the series they lost to the Nuggets last season. He reflects on what they could have done differently and hopes to have learned from their mistakes. For now, the Lakers are using the previous loss as motivation to come back stronger this season.
The Lakers vs. Nuggets opener on October 24th is highly anticipated, with both teams seeking to make a statement. The Lakers hope to avenge their previous loss and start the season off on a strong note, while the Nuggets aim to celebrate their championship win with a victory. This matchup is already generating excitement and anticipation among fans, and it will be interesting to see how both teams perform on the court.
