Denver, Colorado – In a disappointing turn of events, LeBron James encountered a challenging night during the Los Angeles Lakers’ 108-103 defeat against the Denver Nuggets in Game 2 of the Western Final. The loss pushed the Colorado franchise to a 2-0 lead in the series, leaving the Lakers with an uphill battle.
One particular incident occurred when James became entangled in a scuffle with Nikola Jokic, resulting in an unfortunate collision with a fan seated courtside at the Ball Arena. Losing his balance, the Lakers’ star careened into the nearby spectator, accidentally drenching himself with the icy beverage the fan had been enjoying.
Despite the mishap, the gracious fan promptly offered James a towel to dry off, to which the NBA superstar expressed his gratitude, saying, “Thank you.”
Regrettably for James, the game proved to be a series of setbacks. Alongside the defeat, he suffered a missed solo dunk and narrowly missed out on securing a triple-double by a single rebound. Furthermore, his struggles from beyond the arc continued, as he extended his woeful three-point shooting streak in the playoffs’ final quarter.
Remarkably, since Game 2 of the NBA Playoffs, James has converted only one of his 20 three-point attempts in the fourth quarter, establishing the longest such slump witnessed in the last 25 seasons of the playoffs.
“This is not the NCAA Tournament. It’s the first team to four wins.”
LeBron on his mindset heading into Game 3 pic.twitter.com/EBlhfUWOMW
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) May 19, 2023
Despite these difficulties, James mustered 22 points, 9 rebounds, 10 assists, 4 steals, and 2 blocks during his 40 minutes on the court.
Reflecting on the loss, LeBron James addressed the media in a post-game press conference, maintaining his confidence despite the 2-0 deficit against Denver. He asserted, “Until you get beat four times, you have to have confidence.”
With the series shifting to Los Angeles for the upcoming games, James remains hopeful and stressed the importance of maintaining a positive mindset. “We have a chance to go home and perform well. Until you get beat four times, you always have a chance. We have to approach it with this confidence,” he stated.
As the Western Final progresses, fans eagerly await the Lakers’ response and whether James can lead his team to a comeback against a resilient Nuggets squad. The stakes are high, and all eyes will be on LeBron James as he looks to rally his teammates and overcome adversity on the path to the NBA Finals.
