Anthony Davis sinks buzzer-beating 3 in Game 2
Anthony Davis sank a 3-pointer from the left wing on the final play of Game 2 on Sunday night.
The Los Angeles Lakers star’s clutch bucket gave his team a 105-103 triumph over the Denver Nuggets in the Western Conference finals at Walt Disney World.
With the win, the title-chasing Lakers hold a 2-0 advantage in the best-of-seven series.
Davis led Los Angles with 31 points, including the team’s final 10.
LeBron James notched a double-double (26 points and 11 rebounds), while Rajon Rondo handed out nine assists.
Rondo made the most important pass of the game on an inbounds play under the basket with 2.1 seconds left.
“Great players make great shots and he did it, so he’s a really good player,” Nuggets big man Nikola Jokic, who guarded Davis on the final play, told reporters afterward.
The view from Anthony Davis
Speaking to reporters after the game, Davis recounted the sequence that produced the game-winning play.
“I think Do (Rondo) wanted to come in and make that pass,” Davis said. “Obviously, him and ‘Bron are best passers on the team. But I knew if I had a look, a clean look to come off, he’s going to put it on the money. I mean, it’s crazy, because he had — Jokic is like 7 feet, right? He had a 7-footer on him.
“Instead of a chest pass that some people would make, probably get deflected, he threw a bounce pass where he couldn’t get to it and it landed right in my hands. …
“He threw a great pass, and like I say, it’s my job on this team, along with ‘Bron’s, to make plays like that for us.”
Thrilling moment for Anthony Davis
A moment earlier, a reporter asked Davis if the Game top highlight was the biggest shot of his career.
His answer surprised no one.
Davis said: “It’s for sure the biggest shot of my career. When I left (the Pelicans), I just wanted to be able to compete for a championship, and I know that moments like this comes with it. Especially being in L.A., the biggest market in basketball. …”
He added: “…Just being able to want this type of pressure, this type of spotlight, and go out and play in big games and make big-time plays and big-time shots for my team, it was definitely what I wanted.
“The job is definitely not over until we’re able to win the ring. I mean, that’s when it’s over and that’s when the test is completed.”
Denver’s top performers
Jokic paced Denver with 30 points, including 12 in the fourth quarter, and dished out nine assists. Teammate Jamal Murray scored 25 points in a game that elevated Anthony Davis’ profile.
Big second half for Anthony Davis
The Lakers All-Star put 20 points on the board in the second half.
His big offensive effort came in the same game that LeBron had 20 first-half points.
Nuggets comeback
The Lakers blew a 16-point lead as the Nuggets mounted a spirited comeback in the second half.
“Leads mean nothing against this team,” Lakers coach Frank Vogel said. “They are a nightmare to guard.”
A look ahead
Anthony Davis and the Lakers face the Nuggets in Game 3 on Tuesday night.