Anthony Davis rises in Game 2 for the Los Angeles Lakers
Equipped with a 1-0 series lead, the Los Angeles Lakers had a golden opportunity in the last few minutes of Game 2. With three minutes left in the game, Anthony Davis hit a huge 3 to give the Lakers an eight-point lead. The Denver Nuggets called a timeout and the Lakers were sitting in a great spot to take a 2-0 series lead.
However, over the next two and a half minutes, the Nuggets went on an 11-2 run to take a 103-102 lead with 20 seconds left in the game. The Lakers took a timeout to draw out one final play. Almost unexpectedly, the Nuggets blew up LA’s original play but a deflection out of bounds by Jamal Murray would give the Lakers one last chance at a final shot with two seconds left.
With no time to spare, the Lakers went into a quick action which led to an open Anthony Davis 3. The rest was history.
Davis hit the 3 to save the Lakers from a late-minute disaster, sealing the Game 2 victory to take a 2-0 series lead. Just for reference, a LeBron James-led team has never blown a 2-0 series lead in the NBA playoffs.
History states that this Lakers team is NBA Finals bound. However, looking back at the fourth quarter of Game 2, the Lakers wouldn’t be in this position without the play of Anthony Davis.
During that fourth quarter, LeBron shot 1-6 from the field and finished with just two points. Even though he finished with 26 points, he struggled mightily in the fourth quarter. After the Lakers mustered away an eight-point lead with three minutes left, this loss would’ve been looked back as a disaster.
More importantly, it would’ve given the Nuggets renewed life – and confidence – in this series. Instead, Davis hits a big 3, answers plenty of clutch questions, hands the Nuggets a demoralizing loss, and helps the Lakers take a controlling 2-0 series lead in the Western Conference Finals.
The Los Angeles Lakers are now fully in control of this series and are just two games away from returning to the NBA Finals. Anthony Davis is a huge part of that, and the best is yet to come for his future in Los Angeles.