Anthony Davis is one of the most versatile big men in the league, contributing well on both sides of the floor. One of the things that stands out about Anthony Davis offensively is his ability to score from the perimeter and stretch the floor.
During the Lakers’ 2020 playoff run, Anthony Davis hit some huge shots for the team on their way to the championship. One of those shots was a buzzer-beater that he hit against the Denver Nuggets in Game 2 of the Western Conference Finals.
Anthony Davis yelled "Kobe!" after drilling his buzzer-beater game-winner over the Nuggets. pic.twitter.com/INnNYy8afQ
— TSN (@TSN_Sports) September 21, 2020
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope was a member of that 2020 Los Angeles Lakers championship team, and now, he is part of the Denver Nuggets. He has recently claimed that the Los Angeles Lakers would have lost against the Denver Nuggets had Anthony Davis not hit that shot. Mike Singer of The Denver Post relayed the news.
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope said there might’ve been a different NBA champion in the “Bubble” had Lakers forward Anthony Davis not hit a buzzer-beater in Game 2 of the Western Conference Finals in 2020.
Caldwell-Pope, who started all 21 games of that Lakers’ title run, said he thought the Lakers would’ve lost to the Nuggets had Davis’ shot not fallen. Los Angeles took a 2-0 series lead at the time.
“I always tell people this story,” Caldwell-Pope said here at the summer league. “If AD didn’t hit that three, I figure we would’ve lost that series. That’s what I think about this Denver team.”
The Lakers went on to beat the Nuggets in five games, then knocked off the Heat in the Finals.
There is no doubt that Anthony Davis was the key to the Lakers being able to win the 2020 championship. He was playing at a superstar level in the NBA bubble, and he was clearly one of the most versatile offensive players in the league.
While Anthony Davis has had some subpar seasons lately, perhaps we’ll see him get back to being a championship-caliber No. 2 option behind LeBron James in the future. Coach Darvin Ham has already stated that the Lakers will need him to be consistent and healthy, and hopefully, Anthony Davis delivers.
