The LA Lakers pulled out a close win in game 2 of the Western Conference Semifinals against the Denver Nuggets. With the win, the Lakers now have a 2-0 lead and are two wins away from advancing to the NBA Finals.

Anthony Davis was the star in Game 2 as his game-winning shot prevented the Nuggets from tying the series.

Anthony Davis has had an impressive season with the Lakers

When Davis joined the team during the offseason, it was evident that the Lakers were a championship-contending team. They were ready to get back to when they used to dominate the league for so many years. Adding Davis certainly helped in a big way. Not only does James have another superstar on his team, but he doesn’t have to carry a team by himself. Davis takes some of that pressure off James, and the two have shown that they know how to play well together.

Once he joined the team, he immediately made an impact. In his first game with the Lakers, he had 25 points, 10 rebounds, and five assists against the Clippers. On October 29, 2019, Davis became the first Laker to have a 40-point and 20-rebound performance since Shaquille O’Neal did it in 2003. Davis put up those numbers in 30 minutes of play, which never happened before in an NBA game. 

When Davis made his return to New Orleans, he had a game to remember. He had 41 points, and nine rebounds as the Lakers defeated the Pelicans 114-110. His 41 points against New Orleans set a record for a player’s most points in their first game against their former team. Davis was named to his seventh consecutive All-Star team, and the Lakers were having a lot of success during the regular season. He averaged 26.1 points, 9.3 rebounds, 3.2 assists, and 2.3 blocks through 62 games during the regular season.

Anthony Davis stepping up in the playoffs for the Lakers

Coming into the playoffs, the Lakers were a team that many people had their eyes on to see if they could live up to the hype. Being the No. 1 seed, the Lakers have certainly shown why they are the top team in the Western Conference, and Davis has performed at a high-level during the playoffs. The Lakers have only lost two games so far in the playoffs, as they lost the first game of the series in the first and second rounds. 

Despite losing those first games, the Lakers have dominated the remainder of the series in the first and second rounds. Davis led the Lakers in scoring and blocked shots in the first round against the Portland Trail Blazers. He averaged 29.8 points and 1.6 blocks in the five games. The Lakers have a size advantage with Davis on the floor, and they can pair him up with either Dwight Howard or JaVale McGee. Davis can score in numerous ways, whether he’s in the paint or out on the perimeter. He’s been a big help to the Lakers’ success in the playoffs, and he and LeBron James are a duo that cannot be stopped.

Anthony Davis’ big shot against Denver was epic

In Game 2 of the Western Conference Finals, the Lakers looked to take control of the series and go up 2-0. But the Nuggets were not going to go away easily. Going into the half, the Lakers had a 60-50 lead over the Nuggets, and LA wanted to close the game out in the second half. But the Nuggets had other plans. The Nuggets controlled the game in the third quarter scoring 28 points and holding the Lakers to 22 points.

Denver only trailed by four points going into the fourth quarter. It was a back and forth game in the last quarter as both teams were playing at a high level. With two seconds left to play, the Nuggets had a 103-102 lead, and the Lakers had the ball. The Lakers inbounded the ball as Rajon Rondo found an open Davis behind the 3-point line coming out of a timeout. When Davis caught the ball, he immediately took a shot for the win and watched the ball go through the net as time expired, giving LA the victory.

Denver blew a chance to tie the series up, and that was a tough blow for them. Now down 2-0 to a talented Lakers team, it will be tough for this young Denver team to make a comeback. But going back to Davis, he was the star of the game, leading all scorers with 31 points. That shot put LA in a great position to control the series, but they know that they can’t take Denver lightly. So look for the Lakers to try to end the series in four or five games.