As the Los Angeles Lakers were marching their way to a championship during the 2020 NBA Playoffs, they faced a bit of a challenge from a very solid Denver Nuggets team in the Western Conference Finals.
At the end of Game 2, Anthony Davis hit a game-winning 3-pointer to give L.A. a 2-0 series lead.
Former Lakers guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope feels that Davis’ game-winner was very important to the outcome of the series.
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope on joining the Nuggets: “I always tell people this story. If AD didn’t hit that 3, I think we would have lost that series. That’s what I think about this Denver team.” pic.twitter.com/GhMGGPXuB4
— Harrison Wind (@HarrisonWind) July 10, 2022
When the 2019-20 season started, many picked the Los Angeles Clippers, not the Lakers, to win it all.
But after losing their season opener to their crosstown rivals, the Lakers were white-hot, and they started to take on the look of a team that was destined to win the world title.
L.A. finished with the best record in the Western Conference, but in the Orlando, Fla. bubble, the Nuggets tried to derail its dreams.
The Nuggets featured star center Nikola Jokic, who has since won back-to-back league MVPs, as well as ascending point guard Jamal Murray, who was having a remarkable postseason to that point.
After Denver won Game 3, the Lakers had to huff and puff to claim Game 4 and take a 3-1 series lead.
After that, there was no doubt who would win the matchup, as L.A. finished it off in Game 5 and then defeated the Miami Heat in six games in the NBA Finals to bring home the Larry O’Brien Trophy.
Caldwell-Pope was a key role player for the squad thanks to his defense, 3-point shooting and ability to finish in transition.
