The Lakers have long struggled in openers, last winning one in 2016. Tuesday in Denver against the defending champions was no different. The Lakers put themselves in a big hole with a horrible stretch of play over the last half of the first quarter and into the second, but fought back and made a game of it.

Until it wasn't, and Denver pulled away to win 119-107.

Without question, the Nuggets showed that they still appear to be the class of the conference, and over time the Lakers will need to raise their level over the next 81 games. One thing they'll need for that to happen? Much more scoring from Anthony Davis than they got in the second half Tuesday. Like, something higher than zero. Davis had no points after halftime. None. Nada. Zip. This after a 17-point first half. Needless to say, the Lakers can't afford that kind of silence from their most important player. Perhaps worse than the zero points? Only six shots. Again, FAR too few. Even if he misses all of them, AD has to take more shots, too.

Meanwhile, LeBron James only played 29 minutes. They were good minutes, no question, but it was weird to see James finish a game healthy with a minutes total in the 20s. Is Darvin going to make a habit of this sort of thing? It sure seemed like it. I would mean the Lakers are trying to systematically lower LeBron's minutes, rather hoping nature takes its course, and hoping James can earn more rest by the Lakers blowing teams out or things like that. What would it mean for the team if James really was limited to 30ish minutes a game?

And what might get this experiment to end?

HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky

SEGMENT 1: The Lakers lose in Denver. What went wrong?

SEGMENT 2: Anthony Davis simply must be better than he was in the second half Tuesday...

SEGMENT 3: LeBron's minutes were low. Was this on purpose? What to expect going forward.

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