Nuggets win first game of 2023-24 NBA season over Lakers behind Nikola Jokic's triple-double

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The Denver Nuggets raised their championship banner Tuesday night, then dropped the hammer on the Los Angeles Lakers with a 119-107 victory fueled by Nikola Jokic's triple-double.

Jokic had 29 points, 13 rebounds and 11 assists in the NBA's season opener. Jamal Murray added 21 points, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope scored 20, Aaron Gordon had 15 and Michael Porter Jr. had 12.

All of LA's starters also scored in double figures, led by LeBron James' 21 points in 29 minutes — his playing time is being monitored at the start of his 21st season.

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Jamal Murray #27 of the Denver Nuggets celebrates after a basket against the Los Angeles Lakers in the first half of the NBA Opening Night game at Ball Arena on October 24, 2023 in Denver, Colorado. (Justin Tafoya/Getty Images)

Taurean Prince scored 18 points his debut for the Lakers, his fifth team in nine seasons, Anthony Davis had 17 points, Austin Reaves 14 and D'Angelo Russell 11.

The Lakers trailed by 18 early but trimmed that deficit to 63-54 at halftime and used a 13-0 run spanning the third and fourth quarters to pull within 87-84 before Aaron Gordon stopped the run with a 3-pointer.

The Lakers never got closer.

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After James' basket got Los Angeles within 103-96 with just over five minutes remaining, the Nuggets called timeout and came out of it with a 10-3 run featuring 3-pointers by Murray and Porter to put the Lakers away.

The Nuggets received their gold, diamond-encrusted championship rings in a pregame ceremony. Murray, wearing a