The Los Angeles Lakers arrived in Denver, Colorado, for Game 2 of the Western Conference Finals. Trailing 0-1, the purple and gold looked to bounce back. However, it just wasn’t their day at the court, as nothing went right for them. From missing easy plays to defensive lapses, the Lakers were all over the place. That being said, the pillar of the team, LeBron James and Anthony Davis, were the biggest culprits of the loss.
LeBron James and Anthony Davis, the dynamic duo, have led the LA Lakers campaign for most of the season. When Davis got injured, James held the fort and vice versa. Moreover, together on the court, they became a force to be reckoned it. What made the duo stand out is that they really complement each other’s aggressive style. However, the same formidable duo doomed the Lakers’ Game 2 matchup against the Denver Nuggets.
LeBron James, Anthony Davis Failed To Convert Routine Plays In Game 2 Loss Vs. Nuggets
Game 2 of the conference finals between the Los Angeles Lakers and Denver Nuggets began on a strong note. The Nuggets, who are yet to lose a playoff game in their home arena, put early pressure on the Lakers to gain momentum. The purple and gold, on the other hand, suddenly struggled to generate regular routine plays. LeBron James missed back-to-back three-point attempts and fumbled away a sure 2-point hit. James received a rebound pass and had no defender blocking him. He jumped on time, but the ball slipped off his hands. It ended up being the most embarrassing moment of the game for LeBron and the entire Lakers team.
On the other hand, James’ pal, Anthony Davis, was not having a field day either. Coming from a 40-point Game 1, Davis failed to feed on the momentum. He could put up only 18 points on four-of-15 shooting while playing for 41 complete minutes. The power forward also struggled to hit from the free-throw line. Lakers coach Darvin Ham tried to cover up by saying that this kind of miscue happens during a high stake game such as the NBA conference finals. Hence, the players must be thick-skinned to brush it off their shoulders. Regardless, the James-Davis duo needs to get their act together right now if they want to stay in the contest. The fact that the Lakers team revolves around this dynamic duo still holds true.
LeBron Scripts Rare NBA History During Game 2 Loss Vs. Nuggets
LA Lakers superstar, LeBron James, had a memorable 2022-23 season. He scripted history by becoming the leading point scorer in NBA after surpassing the legend Kareem Abdul Jabbar. It seems like the veteran is in no mood to stop. During Game 2 against the Denver Nuggets, LeBron scored 22 points along with 10 assists and nine rebounds. Those 10 assists helped the 38-year-old record 2,000 career Playoff assists, which made him only the second hooper in the history of the NBA to do so. He ranks behind Hall of Famer Magic Johnson, who has 2,346 Playoff assists to his name.
LeBron James is elevating his stature as one of the greatest basketball players to ever exist with each passing day. While some might not agree with him being referred to as the “GOAT,” his records and numbers speak for themselves. If and when James decided to hang up his boots, he would undoubtedly go down in history as one of the greatest the sport of basketball has ever produced.
