Winners and losers of NBA opening night: Nuggets get rings, beat Lakers; Suns top Warriors

Welcome to the 2023-24 NBA season!

The NBA scheduled a star-studded doubleheader treat for its opening night on TNT – the Los Angeles Lakers vs. the Denver Nuggets and the Phoenix Suns vs. the Golden State Warriors.

Nikola Jokic. Jamal Murray. LeBron James. Anthony Davis. Steph Curry. Klay Thompson. Chris Paul. Kevin Durant. Devin Booker.

The first game was a rematch of last season’s Western Conference finals – a 4-0 Nuggets sweep – and the Nuggets received their championship rings before beating the Lakers. The second game featured two teams that underwent offseason changes. And though the Suns were without their big new star, they still defeated the Warriors.

Here are the winners and losers from the NBA's opening night:

Winners

Denver Nuggets and their fans

Fancy rings and a convincing victory. Denver went all out on championship rings that were given to players before it opened the season against the Los Angeles Lakers, and then the Nuggets went out and handled the Lakers 119-107.

All five Nuggets starters scored in double figures, including a 29-point, 13-rebound, 11-assist effort from Nikola Jokic, 21 from Jamal Murray and 20 from Kentavious Caldwell-Pope. Aaron Gordon had 15 points, seven rebounds and five assists, and Michael Porter Jr. added 12 points and 12 rebounds.

A sellout crowd watched the ring ceremony, the championship banner raised to rafters and then capped the night with a victory.

Nikola Jokic

Denver’s two-time MVP and 2023 Finals MVP opened the 2023-24 season with a triple-double – after recording 29 in the regular season and 10 in the playoffs last season.

It was the 106thtriple-double of his career – just one behind LeBron James and Jason Kidd for fourth on the all-time triple-double list. Jokic will pass both and he is 33 triple-doubles from passing Magic Johnson for third place. He may not get there this season, and if he doesn’t, he should pass Johnson next season.

Devin Booker

The Suns star scored 21 of his game-high 32 points in the first half, amassed eight assists and six rebounds and delivered the final assist of the game that helped Phoenix secure the victory.

Some of Phoenix's new faces

To add Bradley Beal to Devin Booker and Kevin Durant, the Suns had to remake their roster and find depth. Jusuf Nurkic collected 14 points and 14 rebounds and scored the game-securing layup with 10 seconds left in the fourth quarter. Yuta Watanabe had eight points and four rebounds, and Drew Eubanks added four points, eight rebounds and three blocks.

Losers

Lakers

The Lakers were swept by Denver in last season’s Western Conference finals and lost the season-opener to the Nuggets on Tuesday. The Lakers might not like the lighthearted trash-talk from the Nuggets, but until the Lakers can win some of these matchups, Denver owns the rivalry.

Anthony Davis

The Lakers big man had 17 first-half points – and zero in the second half. He was 0-for-5 in the third quarter and missed his only shot in the fourth quarter. Single-game plus-minus numbers can be misleading, but the Lakers were outscored by 17 points with Davis on the court in his 34 minutes played.

It’s just one game, but against the team that eliminated the Lakers last season, Davis needs to be better.

Phoenix's Big 3

The Suns acquired Bradley Beal from Washington in the offseason to form a Big 3 with Kevin Durant and Devin Booker. However, Beal missed the season opener with back soreness so we will have to wait to see how those three look together.

The Suns are hoping the trio gets the franchise back to the Finals after losing to Milwaukee in 2021.

3-point shooting

The Warriors and Suns were a combined 21-for-76 on 3-pointers with the Warriors going 10-for-43. Steph Curry was 4-for-14, Klay Thompson 3-for-11, Chris Paul (in his Warriors debut) 0-for-6 and Andrew Wiggins 0-for-3.

Some of Phoenix's new faces

Not all of Phoenix’s new players had solid games. Grayson Allen, acquired from Milwaukee in the three-team trade that sent Damian Lillard from Portland to the Bucks, was 0-for-6 from the field, including 0-for-5 on 3s, and did not score, and veteran Eric Gordon was just 4-for-16 from the field, including 2-for-9 on 3s. Small caveat for Gordon: He made a 3-pointer with 44 seconds left in the fourth quarter, putting Phoenix up 106-101.

— Jeff Zillgitt

Suns vs. Warriors highlights

Lakers vs. Nuggets highlights

Final: Suns 108, Warriors 104

A game stricken with poor shooting morphed into a competitive finish between Golden State and Phoenix Tuesday. Center Jusuf Nurkic’s layup on an assist from Devin Booker with 10 seconds left gave the Suns a 108-104 lead, which turned out to be the final score after Golden State failed to score on its final possession.

Booker led the Suns with 32 points. Kevin Durant had a pedestrian 18 points on 7-for-22 shooting, Josh Okogie scored 17 points and Nurkic had 14 points and 14 rebounds. Booker was one of the few players who had his shot going — connecting on 13 of his 21 shots from the field.

Steph Curry scored 27 points for the Warriors, who were just 10-for-43 on 3-pointers. Curry was 4-for-14, Klay Thompson (15 points) 3-for-11, Chris Paul (14 points, nine assists, six rebounds) 0-for-6 and Andrew Wiggins 0-for-3 on 3s.

The Suns, who overcame 19 turnovers leading to 21 Warriors points, were just 11-for-33 on 3s but 4-for-9 in the fourth quarter. — Jeff Zillgitt

Warriors 86, Suns 80: Golden State roars back in third quarter

Golden State looked overmatched against Phoenix in the first half. Then the third quarter began and the Suns had difficulty scoring.

Golden State opened the second half shooting 5-for-7 from the field and Phoenix went just 1-for-6. The Warriors turned a 15-point halftime deficit into a 64-61 deficit four minutes into the third quarter. Three minutes later, behind a 27-5 run to start the third, the Warriors had a 73-66 lead.

The Warriors took an 86-80 lead into the fourth quarter. Golden State's Steph Curry has a team-high 21 points, and Devin Booker has 25 points for the Suns through three quarters.

Golden State attempted just six free throws in the first half but was 14-for-16 from the line in the third quarter. Chris Paul scored 10 points in the third and has 12 points, eight assists and six rebounds. — Jeff Zillgitt

LeBron James 'not surprised or upset' by limited minutes in season opener

DENVER — LeBron James shrugged when asked about his playing time in the season opener against the Nuggets.

He cleared his throat and gathered his thoughts.

“I always want to be on the floor,” he said after playing 29 minutes and scoring a team-high 21 points. “Especially when we got an opportunity to win a game or feel like you can make an impact, but I guess there’s a system in place and, you know, I’ll follow it.”

Even though the Lakers lost, James, 38, said he felt like he did the best he could and was “not surprised or upset” at the minutes. He added eight rebounds and five assists to his points total as he begins his 21st NBA season. In the fourth quarter, he made a key 3-point shot that brought the game within three points.

“I think for me, my performance and what I did individually in the time that I was out there was productive," he said. "I think so. I was a plus-7 for the game, no turnovers, so... I like the no turnovers more than anything.”

This loss comes after Denver swept Los Angeles in the Western Conference finals last year en route to winning its first championship. James said that he doesn’t let the losses pile up and viewed this game simply as the start of a new season.

“Gotta be better, obviously," James said. "We play them and we had our chances in the Western Conference finals, but that’s over and done with. Tonight is the only thing that was on our mind. We didn’t make enough plays offensively or defensively for stretches and long periods of time to be able to close the game or to win. So give credit where credit is due today.” — Victoria Hernandez

Halftime: Suns 61, Warriors 46

Even with so many great scorers on the court shooting, stats were not great as the Phoenix Suns grabbed a 61-46 lead against Golden State after two quarters.

Phoenix shot just 5-for-15 on 3-pointers (though 48.9% from the field, including 2s), and Eric Gordon was just 2-for-9. It took makes from Kevin Durant (13 points) late in the second quarter for him to reach 5-for-13 from the field. Devin Booker led the Suns with 21 first-half points. Center Jusuf Nurkic, another one of Phoenix’s new faces, had 10 points and 12 rebounds in the first half.

It was much more difficult for the Warriors, who shot 31% from the field and 26.1% on 3-pointers. Klay Thompson was 3-for-10, Chris Paul 0-for-6, Steph Curry 4-for-11, Andrew Wiggins 2-for-8 and Gary Payton II 0-for-4. — Jeff Zillgitt

Warriors honor Kevin Durant with tribute video in return

Kevin Durant is back in the Bay Area.

Durant – who won back-to-back championships with the Warriors in 2017 and 2018, collecting Finals MVP honors both years – received a hero's welcome ahead of the Suns’ opening night matchup against the Warriors.

This is the first time that Durant has played in front of Golden State fans since he left the team for the Brooklyn Nets as a free agent in 2019. Durant joined the Suns via trade in February.

A tribute video was played ahead of starting lineup introductions for Durant and the crowd responded with a standing ovation. Durant held his hand in the air as a sign of his appreciation. — Cydney Henderson

Chris Paul gets his first points for Golden State Warriors

Golden State guard Chris Paul scored his first points for his new team at the free throw line. He was fouled on a 3-point attempt and made 2-of-3, giving the Warriors a 32-28 lead with 10:00 left in the second quarter. — Jeff Zillgitt

End of first quarter: Suns 28, Warriors 28

Devin Booker led Phoenix in the first quarter with 15 points, but Golden State had balanced scoring and ended the quarter all square at 28-all. Steph Curry scored eight points, and Moses Moody had seven points off the bench for the Warriors.

Chris Paul, who was traded from Phoenix to Washington to Golden State in the offseason, made his Warriors debut but did not score in the first quarter. He missed two shots and had two assists.

The Suns attempted 10 free throws in the opening 12 minutes – Golden State had just one attempt from the line. — Jeff Zillgitt

LeBron James on a minutes count? Lakers coach says star's playing time will be monitored throughout season

DENVER — LeBron James saw 29 minutes of playing time in the Lakers' 119-107 loss to the Nuggets in the NBA season opener. He scored a team-high 21 points and notched eight rebounds and five assists as he begins his 21st NBA season. James averaged 35.5 minutes per game last season.

Head coach Darvin Ham commented on James’ minutes, saying that the Lakers will continue to monitor James as he navigates a foot injury. Ham said that fans can expect a similar amount of minutes for James moving forward “in all likelihood."

“It’s gonna be a day-by-day process gauging how he’s feeling, good communication from him, our training staff, medical staff,” Ham said. “Communicate, collaborate and laying down a solid plan. It’s easy with him. You get caught up in the emotion of the game and you forget and you wanna play in these long stretches, but in order for him to be as effective as possible, we have to be mindful of how long those stretches are.”

He also commented on James’ shot selection as well as Anthony Davis' after the big man had 17 points — but none in the second half — eight rebounds and four assists. Ham said he appreciates their instincts and knowledge of how to get teammates involved.

“Those two guys, they try to play the right way. They’re gonna allow their teammates to have an impact on the game on the offensive side of the ball,” Ham said. “Taurean (Prince) had some moments. (Austin Reaves) had some moments. (D’Angelo Russell). So those guys, they wanna deal with what they deal with in terms of knowing when it’s their turn to be assertive and aggressive, but outside of that, those two guys, they just try to play the right way, scoring, setting screens, whether it’s being a decoy, they’re willing to do it, which is a great thing.” — Victoria Hernandez

Nuggets kick off title defense with win over Lakers

The Los Angeles Lakers made it a game when it looked like the Denver Nuggets might blow out the Lakers in the NBA season opener.

But the Nuggets have Nikola Jokic.

Every time the Lakers made it a close game, say two or three possessions, the Nuggets and Jokic responded and downed the Lakers 119-107 Tuesday.

Jokic, the two-time MVP and 2023 Finals MVP, finished with 29 points, 13 rebounds and 11 assists – his 106th triple-double of his career, one behind LeBron James and Jason Kidd who share fourth place all-time with 107 triple-doubles.

All Nuggets starters scored in double figures in points, and three had at least 20. Denver’s Jamal Murray had 21 points and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope had 20. Aaron Gordon provided 15 points, seven rebounds and five assists, and Michael Porter Jr. had 12 points and 12 rebounds.

Denver’s offense, especially the starting five, was tough to stop. It shot 52.7% from the field and 41.2% on 3-pointers.

Turning 39 years old in two months and in his 21st NBA season, James had 21 points, eight rebounds and five assists for the Lakers. New Lakers forward Taurean Prince had 18 points, and Anthony Davis had 17 points but did not score in the second half. Austin Reaves delivered 14 points, eight rebounds and four assists.

The Lakers had their moments. Just not enough.

The Nuggets got their 2023 championship rings before the game and reminded the Lakers why it will be difficult to keep them from returning to the Finals in 2024. — Jeff Zillgitt

Nuggets fans to Lakers: 'Who's your daddy?'

Nuggets fans at Denver's Ball Arena began a "Who's your daddy" chant while leading the Los Angeles Lakers in the fourth quarter of the NBA season opener. The defending champion Nuggets have now won six straight games against the Lakers, including a 4-0 sweep in the Western Conference finals that led to a war of words this summer.

Nuggets 87, Lakers 80: L.A. cuts into deficit in third quarter

Trailing by as many as 18 points in the first half, the Los Angeles Lakers shaved Denver’s lead to two possessions at one point in the third quarter and trailed just 87-80 headed into the fourth.

Denver’s Nikola Jokic has 22 points, 13 rebounds and six assists, proving his value as the No. 1 player in USA TODAY Sports’ list of the top 30 NBA players. Jamal Murray and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope each have 16 points.

The Lakers ended the third quarter with a 9-0 run. D’Angelo Russell and Taurean Prince each had seven points in the quarter, and while LeBron James had just one bucket and Anthony Davis didn’t score in the third, the Lakers managed to keep the deficit manageable. Prince has 15 points, Russell 11, and James has 12 points, seven rebounds and four assists. — Jeff Zillgitt

Halftime: Nuggets 63, Lakers 54

DENVER — The Nuggets are playing cleaner and with more energy as they go into the half up 63-54 over the Lakers.

Los Angeles point guard Gabe Vincent had back-to-back fouls in the second quarter as he attempted to contain Denver’s Jamal Murray.

Murray has eight points, three assists and two rebounds while Nikola Jokić is dominating with a game-high 19 points and nine boards.

For the Lakers, Anthony Davis leads with 17 points and LeBron James has added 10. Los Angeles has nine team fouls compared to Denver's two.

Reggie Jackson helped the Nuggets maintain momentum with a jumper from the corner that sent James sliding across the court. Murray was fouled on a basket for a three-point play that kept Ball Arena loud. Denver was up by as many as 18 points two minutes into the second quarter.

Taurean Prince tried a long jumper at the buzzer to give the Lakers a boost heading into the break, but it bounced off the rim. — Victoria Hernandez

No Big 3 for Suns vs. Warriors: Bradley Beal out

Phoenix Suns guard Bradley Beal, acquired from the Washington Wizards in an offseason trade, will not make his Suns debut alongside Kevin Durant and Devin Booker in the team’s opener Tuesday against the Golden State Warriors.

Beal has been bothered by back tightness, and first-year Suns coach Frank Vogel confirmed Beal won’t play against Golden State. Booker, who is dealing with a sore left big toe, will play. Grayson Allen, who the Suns acquired from the Bucks in the three-team deal that sent Damian Lillard from Portland to Milwaukee, will start for Phoenix. — Jeff Zillgitt

TNT's Kenny Smith, Shaquille O’Neal marvel at LeBron James returning for 21st season

DENVER — LeBron James started his 21st NBA season Tuesday against the Denver Nuggets. Last season, the 19-time All-Star passed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to become the NBA’s all-time scoring leader. He has four championships and four Finals MVP awards on his resume along with four regular season MVP nods.

When the Lakers were swept last season by the Nuggets in the Western Conference finals, there were rumors that James could retire, especially as he dealt with a foot injury. But he returned and is dedicating this season to his son Bronny, who suffered cardiac arrest this summer while practicing with USC.

Kenny Smith reflected on James’ legacy and how he’s been able to maintain stardom since his high school days at St. Vincent-St. Mary.

“Only he can answer that,” Smith told USA TODAY Sports. “There’s no one who’s done it as long as he has. Not at that level. I think we’ve all done it. Some guys have done it for a year, two years. But this guy’s done it for 21 years, (I) hardly believe it. A top-five player every year for 21 years. The way he keeps himself in shape, his body … it’s almost an impossible feat. It’s truly amazing even by his comrades who are in it, we’re all amazed at how he’s doing it that long.”

Shaquille O’Neal added that James capturing the NBA scoring title is a major step toward his legacy and understands the desire to want to keep seeing how far he can go.

“I wish it was me. We’re all title seekers,” he said. “... To be the highest-scorer ever in the NBA? I would love that. I would love to be the greatest player. (Nikola) Jokic, the greatest Denver Nugget, that’s his. You just have to keep continue playing and see where it will go.” — Victoria Hernandez

Nuggets 34, Lakers 20: Denver jumps out to big lead in first quarter

That Denver Nuggets starting five – Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray, Michael Porter Jr., Aaron Gordon and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope – remains a force. Not surprising with the confidence of an NBA title on the resume and freshly awarded championship rings in their possession.

The Nuggets owned a 34-20 lead after the first quarter against the Los Angeles Lakers with all five starters scoring in the opening 12 minutes. Jokic, a two-time MVP, led Denver with 10 points, five rebounds and two assists. Porter, Caldwell-Pope and Murray each had five points. Gordon had two points, four assists and three rebounds, continuing to do a bit of everything well for Denver. Nuggets reserve Reggie Jackson added five points.

Anthony Davis and Taurean Prince had six points for the Lakers, and LeBron James had four points, two rebounds and two assists. — Jeff Zillgitt

Denver Nuggets celebrate first championship with ring and banner ceremony

DENVER — Before taking on the Los Angeles Lakers to tip off the 2023 NBA season, the Denver Nuggets had one more moment to celebrate the franchise’s first championship.

NBA cCommissioner Adam Silver presented the players, coaches and owner Stan Kroenke with enormous rings designed by Jason of Beverly Hills that featured a pullout of the championship banner and blue gems behind the Nuggets' logo on the ring’s face.

The ceremony started with a recap video of the 2022-23 season while wristbands given to each fan twinkled with yellow and blue lights. The crowd cheered loudly when the announcer mentioned the Nuggets swept the Lakers in the Western Conference Finals en route to the title.

When head coach Michael Malone got his ring, Ball Arena once again was rocking with cheers as he gave a short speech thanking fans for their support during his tenure.

“You guys have been the best fans in the NBA for eight years,” he said. “... We got one ring. Who wants another?”

Each player got their ring one by one until Finals MVP Nikola Jokić took the court and the fans erupted. The big man hugged each executive before giving the crowd a wave.

The team then gathered at the end of the court as the championship banner was revealed through a cloud of smoke. The players posed for a photo in front of the banner with their rings before it was slowly hoisted to the rafters as Queen’s “We Are the Champions” filled the air.

The cheers quickly changed to boos as the Lakers came out of the tunnel and the page was officially turned. — Victoria Hernandez

Deion Sanders, Colorado stars Shedeur Sanders, Travis Hunter in attendance

The Colorado Buffaloes are in the building.

Quarterback Shedeur Sanders, the son of head football coach Deion Sanders, and dual-threat Travis Hunter were front and center in Ball Arena on Tuesday night for the Nuggets’ opening day matchup against the Los Angeles Lakers. Sanders said he was most excited for the ring ceremony.

“What’s up. We’re here and we can’t wait to see the rings and the banner,” Sanders said in a pregame message shared on the Nuggets’ social media account.

Deion Sanders, the Pro Football Hall of Famer who's in his first season with Colorado, was also seen courtside.

Ball Arena is about 25 miles from Folsom Field, home of the Buffaloes football team. — Cydney Henderson

NBA games tonight

The 2023-24 NBA season is kicking off with a doubleheader. The defending champion Nuggets are hosting the Lakers while the Warriors play host to the Suns. The games are being broadcast on TNT.

NBA predictions for champion, MVP, rookie

Five consecutive NBA seasons, five different champions: Toronto, Los Angeles Lakers, Milwaukee Bucks, Golden State Warriors, Denver Nuggets.

Will the Nuggets repeat? Will one of those other teams win it again? Or will another team emerge as the sixth different champ in six consecutive seasons?

Who will play in the Eastern and Western conference finals? Is Boston-Milwaukee a lock in the East? How many teams in the West start the season with a legit chance to reach the conference finals? Four? Five? Six? More?

And what about MVP? Three players born outside of the U.S. (Giannis Antetokounmpo, Nikola Jokic and Joel Embiid) have won the past five MVPs. Is someone else ready to win the award?

Here are USA TODAY Sports staff predictions for the 2023-24 season.

Charles Barkley, Kenny Smith ponder Nuggets' chances of winning back-to-back titles

DENVER — For the NBA season tip-off, “Inside the NBA” took place at Tivoli Quad on the campus of CU Denver across the street from Ball Arena.

Kenny Smith and Charles Barkley shared their thoughts on the Denver Nuggets' chances of winning back-to-back titles after winning their first championship last year.

Barkley said that a major factor in the Nuggets' repeat hopes is if they will be able to replace Bruce Brown, who averaged 11.5 points off the bench and signed a two-year, $45 million contract to join the Indiana Pacers.

“I’m a big Bruce Brown fan. They’ve got to replace him,” Barkley told USA TODAY Sports. “The young guys got to come on. They’re gonna have to adjust to being the hunted. Those are the two big questions I have.”

He also said other teams will be competitive for the title and could thwart the Nuggets’ mission to be the first team since the Golden State Warriors won championships in 2017 and 2018 to go back-to-back. But Finals MVP Nikola Jokiç is a major X-factor.

“The Lakers got better, the Suns have gotten better. I like Sacramento,” he said. “I don’t know what’s gonna happen with Zion Williamson. So I think the one advantage they got is, their best player is a robot. He’s not gonna be caught up in extracurricular (expletive). So if your best player is handling business, it’s always a huge advantage.”

Smith was a repeat champion with the Houston Rockets when they won back-to-back titles in 1994 and 1995.

“Any time you’re repeating, it’s tough. I’ve been blessed to be on the team that had the opportunity to repeat and we did,” he said. “But it was very difficult because I have a saying called 'fat cat-itis.' You can be a fat cat. You can be a little bit, it’s usually not the best two or three players on a team. Typically guys five through nine who’ve never experienced that degree of success, all of a sudden, they get a contract, they win a championship, they’re in local television commercials, they come on the bus with shades. So how do you fight human nature is the biggest thing?” — Victoria Hernandez

NBA opening night features all-time greats, MVPs, title contenders

It is a star-studded opening night in the NBA.

When the 2023-24 season tips off Tuesday, the two games – Denver Nuggets-Los Angeles Lakers and Phoenix Suns-Golden State Warriors – will feature five of the NBA’s all-time 75 greatest players.

LeBron James. Steph Curry. Kevin Durant. Chris Paul. Anthony Davis.

They weren’t in the league – some weren’t even 10 years old – when it announced its 50 greatest players in 1996. Those five represent 20% of the 25 new players on the list.

The two games include four league MVPs and four Finals MVPs – James, Curry, Durant and Jokic.

Beyond the historical context, the Nuggets (2023 champions), the Lakers (2020 champions), the Warriors (four titles in the past nine seasons), and the Suns (2021 finalists), are all title contenders this season. — Jeff Zillgitt

NBA a league of international intrigue

An NBA-record 125 international players are on opening-night rosters, including a record 26 players from Canada and 14 from France.

The previous record was 121 players, established twice – first in 2017-18 and again in 2021-22. It’s the third consecutive season with at least 120 international players on opening rosters and the 10th consecutive season with at least 100 international players.

All 30 teams have at least one player from outside the U.S. The Dallas Mavericks and Oklahoma City Thunder have a league-high eight international players. The Toronto Raptors and San Antonio Spurs each have six.

The three players who have won the past five MVPs are international stars: Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo, Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic and Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid. — Jeff Zillgitt

USA TODAY Sports' top 30 NBA players features new No. 1

After all these years, LeBron James – almost 39 years old and entering his 21st NBA season – is still a top-10 player.

The Los Angeles Lakers star checks in at No. 7 in USA TODAY Sports' list of the top 30 NBA players headed into the 2023-24 season. He’s joined in the top 10 by two future Hall of Famers with MVPs and multiple championships who have helped define pro basketball for the better part of the past two decades: Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant.

But there is a new player in the top 10 and a change at the top. — Jeff Zillgitt

NBA MVP candidates include Embiid, Giannis, Jokic and …

We know the NBA MVP candidates. They are the usual suspects based on the past few seasons: Denver’s Nikola Jokic, Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo and Philadelphia’s Joel Embiid – those three have won the past five MVPs.

Embiid won the award in 2023, Jokic in 2022 and 2021 and Antetokounmpo in 2020 and 2019 – all finished 1-2-3 last season followed by Boston’s Jayson Tatum and Oklahoma City’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Dallas’ Luka Doncic finished eighth last season and fifth in 2022. He’s among the favorites again this season.

And past winners, such as Golden State’s Stephen Curry and Phoenix’s Kevin Durant, will get mentions. But keep in mind, just two players 35 or older have won MVP: Karl Malone at 36 and Michael Jordan at 35. Curry turns 36 this season and Durant just turned 35.

But who are the under-the-radar candidates on the verge of entering the MVP discussion? — Jeff Zillgitt

Damian Lillard, Joel Embiid, Zion Williamson among 10 players under pressure to perform

Every NBA season presents an opportunity for a star to take the next step, to cement a legacy and to prove the hype was worth it.

Denver’s Nikola Jokic did it last season, backing up his MVPs in 2021 and 2022 with an NBA championship and Finals MVP in June. Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo earned MVP in 2019 and 2020 and led the Bucks to a title in 2021.

Is there a player or players who are ready to elevate their team the way Jokic and Antetokounmpo did? Philadelphia’s Joel Embiid? Dallas’ Luka Doncic? Memphis’ Ja Morant? New Orleans’ Zion Williamson? Milwaukee’s Damian Lillard?

The 10 players that made our list. — Jeff Zillgitt

James Harden, 76ers in NBA game of chicken

Daryl Morey, 76ers president of basketball operations, starts the season with a problem. James Harden wants a trade and Morey tried to accommodate the request but did not find a deal beneficial to the Sixers and their championship goal.

Harden is unhappy, called Morey a liar and said he would never play for Morey, leading to a $100,000 fine for Harden from the NBA. Morey fired Doc Rivers as coach, hired Nick Nurse, who Milwaukee fired, and the Sixers are trying to win a title with 2022-23 MVP Joel Embiid in his prime.

Morey has one unhappy player, and if the Sixers can’t make progress in the playoffs (nothing better than a second-round exit since 2001), Embiid could be the next player who wants out of Philadelphia. — Jeff Zillgitt

NBA coaches on the hot seat already? It's never too early

Being on the hot seat in the coaching profession doesn’t always mean win soon or get fired soon.

There are three coaches who are stepping into new situations where losing their job this season is unrealistic but realistic championship expectations exist, from ownership down through the fan base.

It’s a win-now proposition for Phoenix Suns coach Frank Vogel, Philadelphia 76ers coach Nick Nurse and Milwaukee Bucks coach Adrian Griffin. Read about them and other coaches who need to win now here. — Jeff Zillgitt

How the new NBA in-season tournament works

The eight-month marathon to determine the 2023-24 NBA champion begins tonight, but in just a few days, the NBA will start its first five-week sprint to determine another champion.

A new in-season tournament begins Nov. 3 – just 10 days into the season – with a few weeks of pool play. That leads to an eight-team single elimination playoff where the last team standing wins the NBA Cup and a pile of cash.

"Whether it’s international basketball, international soccer, individual sports here in the U.S., golf, tennis, fighting, racing – the idea of being able to win multiple things each year is a well-accepted practice. And, in fact, (it) creates very exciting competition throughout the calendar,” NBA executive vice president of basketball strategy and analytics Evan Wasch said.

Here's a closer look at how the tournament works. — Jim Sergent and Jeff Zillgitt

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Lakers vs. Nuggets, Suns vs. Warriors highlights, winners, losers