Does LeBron James Hold a Winning Record Against Defending NBA Champion Nikola Jokic Ahead of Season Opener in Denver?

The new season is upon us. In three days’ time, the 2023-24 season will be underway. Butting heads on the season opener will be the LA Lakers and the Denver Nuggets. The defending champions are back with their championship-winning team, headed by the 2023 Finals MVP Nikola Jokic.

LA Lakers, on the other hand, will wish to brush off last season’s defeat and go in with all their might. The LA franchise will be headed by LeBron James, who is prepared for his 21st season in the league. So before the season goes underway, let’s have a look at the two chief men and their record against one another.

LeBron James vs Nikola Jokic

Last season was full of letdowns for the Lakers. During the regular season, several star players sustained injuries that worked against their championship dreams. Despite all tribulations, the Lakers managed to make their way into the Conference Finals.

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However, their dreams were soon crushed by a superior team last season, the Nuggets. The Lakers faced a humiliating defeat at the hands of Jokic-led Nuggets as the Conference Finals concluded 4-0. The Denver franchise then went on to dominate further and ended up lifting the NBA trophy last year.

Now that they are going head to head in the season opener, their two superstars will be the key elements in deciding the outcome for their teams. The 2x league MVP holds a 7-11 record against King James. If we include the playoffs record, the 38-year-old is still on top of his game. LeBron maintains a superior record against Jokic in regular and playoff games combined, 15-12.

As for their personal record in head-to-head matchups, LeBron takes the lead by some distance. He averages 27 points per game to Jokic’s 20.7 and provides 8.8 assists to his 7 per game. The 4x MVP’s game highs are also superior to that of Jokic’s, as he had a 40-point game to Jokic’s 36. Overall, King James’ stats prove that he holds an edge over the Serbian.

The Lakers and Nuggets in preseason

Four weeks teams have lined up to get their preseason experience in. Both teams have had a fair share of matchups till now in the preseason and there are a few more games to go. However, if we compare their current record in the preseason games, the Nuggets seem to be in their last season’s rhythm. In their five preseason games, they’ve won three. Whereas, the Lakers have played six games this preseason and have only managed to win two.

Who’s your pick between LeBron James and Nikola Jokic this season? Tell us in the comments below.

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