NBA: Nikola Jokic warns of ‘new team’ LA Lakers ahead of Game 1 with Nuggets

The NBA returns tonight with the mouth-watering game between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Denver Nuggets in the Battle of the West.

LeBron James and Nikola Jokic are expected to steal the headlines in what promises to be an exciting Western Conference Finals.

The Nuggets are the No. 1 seed, but they have never defeated their current opponents in a playoff series.

They have lost three times at the stage they are in now – in 1985, 2009 and 2020.

Denver has held onto the first seed for most of the season as the Lakers started the campaign abysmal.

LeBron James and Nikola Jokic are poised to steal the headlines in the Western Conference Finals

Unlike previous years, James, Anthony Davis and Co. the underdogs.

The roster was reworked and they advanced to the playoffs as the seventh seed through the play-in tournament.

They went on to defeat higher seeds Memphis Grizzlies and defending champion Golden State Warriors.

New faces Rui Hachimura, D’Angelo Russell, Jarred Vanderbilt, Malik Beasley and Mo Bamba all helped get them into the fray. And, of course, with the NBA’s all-time leading scorer, they can never be ruled out.

A completely different prospect in the postseason, Jokic warned ahead of Game 1.

“We haven’t played with Lakers like this [team],’ he said.

“So this is actually going to be a new team for us. Probably everything is new, everything is different.

“They’re playing great in these playoffs. Since [the trade] deadline, they play very well.’

LA head coach Darvin Ham (L) joked about how to contain Michael Malone’s star man Jokic

But the two-time NBA MVP has been in imperious form in 11 playoff games.

Jokic averages 30.7 points, 12.8 rebounds and 9.7 assists with five triple-doubles.

Lakers coach Darvin Ham joked about how he will set up his team to contain the 28-year-old center.

“Try to catch him coming out of his house and kidnap him,” he said after Monday’s practice.

“AD will start on him and other guys will see action against him. Just try to put our best foot forward every time.

Anthony Davis and James appeared in win-and-in Game 6 of Semifinals vs. the Warriors

Nuggets was the first team to make the NBA Conference Finals after defeating the Phoenix Suns

“We’ll try to do everything we can, do our job early, keep him off balance.”

The Nuggets have home court advantage and had a 34-7 record at Ball Arena in the regular season. They have also won all six home games prior to the game with the Lakers.

“All that matters is getting to the NBA Finals,” said Nuggets coach Michael Malone.

“The fact that it’s the Lakers probably makes it that much more special for a lot of the people who support us and if that’s what makes Ball Arena so much more excited and crazier then I’m all for it.”

Denver has never reached the NBA Finals. Will it be a fourth-luck case against the Lakers?