3 takeaways from Lakers opening night loss

The Lakers dropped the opening night game to the defending champion Denver Nuggets 119-107.

Denver and LA have a history dating back to last season, as the Nuggets defeated them in the Western Conference Finals. Nikola Jokic continued Denver’s success with a 29/13/11 performance.

The Lakers fought throughout the game, cutting it to single digits multiple times despite trailing by as much as 18 points in the first quarter, but they couldn’t come out on top.

Anthony Davis had a great first half with 17 points but didn’t score in the second half. LA will need Davis to be more consistent moving forward, as he is the tone-setter for the team.

With that said, let’s move on to the takeaways from the Lakers opening-night loss.

LeBron James’ minutes will be limited in regular season

LeBron James only played 29 minutes in the first game of the season. The 38-year-old in his 21st season in the NBA is coming off a season where he played 35 minutes per game.

However, Darvin Ham and the coaching staff limited James’ minutes to start out the season. This is a smart move, as it will allow James to be more rested come playoff time. He is still an elite player, but limiting his minutes at his age is a wise decision and could prevent an injury.

The Lakers added a ton of depth in the offseason, which will be crucial and help take pressure off James to preserve his best for the playoffs.

Cam Reddish will be in rotation over Max Christie

Cam Reddish received the backup shooting guard minutes over Max Christie against Denver. LA signed Reddish in the offseason, but many expected Christie to get the nod over Reddish for the backup shooting guard spot after the preseason.

Ham and his coaching staff opted to go with Reddish, who had a solid performance with seven points, four rebounds, and a block on 50% shooting.

The Lakers hope the former 10th overall pick will unlock his potential and thrive in his role this season.

Lakers will be a contender; bench needs time to flourish

The Lakers may have lost the first game of the season, but they showed good flashes.

The depth was evident as Taurean Prince had 18 points on 4-6 shooting from three. Players like Gabe Vincent, Christian Wood, and Reddish gave solid minutes off the bench.

Rob Pelinka added depth to the rotation, and it looks like it will be major dividends for the Lakers.

While they lost the game, LA has a lot to be happy about. The new additions will need time to mesh with the roster and find their role, but when they do, the Lakers will be one of the best teams in the league.

Despite the loss on opening night, fans should be optimistic as the Lakers looked poised to be a true contender this season.