LeBron James hadn’t had the best of his game in the conference finals against the probable title winners Denver Nuggets.
In Game 2 of the Western Conference Finals, Nuggets further strengthen their title run, defeating the Lakers, featuring LeBron and Anthony.
With this 108-103 win, Nuggets have taken a 2-0 lead. The Lakers must fight back with back-to-back wins to keep their championship dream alive.
The Nuggets’ point guard, Jamal Murray, boasted 37 points, with 23 coming in the fourth quarter.
On the contrary, the veteran small forward of the Lakers, King James, only managed 26 points, 12 rebounds, 9 assists, and one block.
LeBron James Dunk Fail
In the second quarter, while on the lead, James did something one would never expect from a star player like him.
The Lakers countered the Nuggets attack, and with no one to defend, King James leaped for the dunk but ended up failing to make it count.
Adding to the Lakers’ suffering, James further missed multiple wide-open layups, which were not appreciated by the fans.
Critics After The Game 2 of The Conference Finals
After their second consecutive loss in the conference finals, analysts and netizens were quick to make criticism regarding James’ gameplay.
A senior sports columnist at Boston Herald bashed the all-time point leader on Twitter. During the game, James stumbled on the court after what seemed like a gentle brush from Jokic, hitting a fan who was enjoying the game.
The fan who was having a drink spilled his drink on the Lakers small forward and later gave a towel to the player to clean himself.
James appreciated the fan’s gesture and said thank you. ESPN tweeted this incident, to which the Boston Herald’s columnist reacted, “Did he also give him an Oscar?”
Did he also give him an Oscar? https://t.co/OTPlo1gIhP
— Bill Speros (@billsperos) May 19, 2023
The former Lakers player, Magic Johnson, also showed his disappointment on Twitter.
He wrote, “I’ve never seen LeBron James miss a wide open dunk and multiple wide open layups in a Playoff game. Anthony Davis was not much better and shot poorly the whole night. Both struggled from the field.”
Replying to the Tweet, one wrote, “I agree Magic!! They need to be focused if they want any chance at winning the series.”
A few fans also showed their support; one fan wrote, “Forgetting he’s 38 playing in high altitude. Not a young pup anymore. Father Time is real.”
GOAT Mentality
James is not giving up already. The Lakers still have a few games in hand and will look forward to defeating the Nuggets.
Speaking with TNT, LeBron said, “I’ll be ready on Saturday. I just stepped on the foot of AG. Nothing is keeping me from playing.”
This proves the goat mentality of King James. He still got a lot to give to the sport. He is not willing to give up until he lifts another championship ring.
For Game 3, the Lakers will face the Nuggets at Crypto.com Arena on May 20, 2023. Can the Lakers leverage the overwhelming support from their passionate home crowd to their advantage?
