NBA WESTERN CONFERENCE FINALS: LAKERS VS. NUGGETS

September 20, 2020

Anthony Davis

Los Angeles Lakers

Game 2: Postgame

Los Angeles Lakers 105, Denver Nuggets 103

Q. It looked like after the video you mouthed Kobe, but wanted to ask you your feeling and just take us through that moment.

ANTHONY DAVIS: I did. You know, I mean, obviously wearing the jerseys. He's hit countless shots like that to win games, whether it's in the playoffs, Finals. But it was a special one for me. Special one for my teammates. I told 'Bron, in L.A., right before the hiatus against the Brooklyn Nets, same spot, slightly different play and I missed a shot. I was upset with myself. And he said, "Man, we gonna live or die with you shooting that shot." I got same opportunity tonight. Ready to make it.

Special moment for me. Special moment for the team. Especially in a situation like trying to go up 2-0 against a special team who are great competitors and going to fight for the entire 48 minutes. To do something like that, and with the jersey we wore tonight, it just makes it even more special.

Q. Three-pointer to win the game, Game 2 of the Western Conference Finals, how close is that a dream growing up in Chicago?

ANTHONY DAVIS: It's a huge dream. To make it even better, kind of wish it was in Staples tonight with the fans that support us all year. But still to be in that moment and hit a shot like that is still a dream. I've never hit a game-winner like that before, so to hit like that and to be a 3, it's a special moment for me. Something I'll let soak in for the next couple hours and then tomorrow try to get ready and prep for Game 3.

Being around 'Bron and Do [Rajon Rondo] and all the other guys, they for sure are going to make sure I hear about it at least for the rest of the night. When you got teammates like this and the coaching staff who support you and want you to be great and want the best for you, moments like this are even better.

Q. Frank was mic'd up during the broadcast and we could hear him say something about, "Look at the jersey you guys are wearing on your chest." You hit the shot, you guys are undefeated -- and if you miss it, you're not. Is there any extra mojo with those jerseys?

ANTHONY DAVIS: We just play a little different. Our swagger is a little different. Every time we put on those jerseys, obviously we're representing him. Especially in those jerseys, it's his jersey, one he created, and any time we put it on we want to win.

Coach made sure that we knew that in the huddle. He said, "Look at the jerseys you have on. He would have made big-time plays. So it's time for us to make big-time plays," like with six minutes left in the game. Guys were able to do that.

So just looking down at the jersey and Coach telling us, it's a constant reminder that Kobe is with us and we kind of have the spirit in those jerseys.

Q. What did it feel like after you hit that shot and you turn around you're running back toward your bench and you see all your teammates running at you? What do you remember? Was it all just a blur?

ANTHONY DAVIS: I remember the play before. I got the floater. I knew it was going to Jokic and I let it get to his strength, which is right hand. He got a hook, score, they go up one. I was kind of upset because I'm a better defensive player than that. Granted, he made a great play. He made great plays throughout the course of the game. Rondo told me, "It's all right. He scored on you. Now you go get it back."

Came off, made the shot. Then the first person I saw was Swish [J.R. Smith], just jumping around everywhere. I just kind of ran toward the bench, and knocked Talen over.

It's a great moment. It's a great moment to be with the team. They are cheering for you, celebrating you. Like I said, it would have been even more special if it was in Staples with our fans. But to have the brotherhood that we have on this team and the support that I have and every player has on this team from ownership to the coaching staff to the training staff to the players, everybody's one big family. And to be here, cheering for me and supporting me through that shot, and after we celebrated, it's special moments like that that you keep forever.

Q. Biggest shot of your career so far, on this stage. Is this what you wanted when you left New Orleans and looking for a change, and was this the sort of kind of moment and experience that you were looking for?

ANTHONY DAVIS: It's for sure the biggest shot of my career. When I left, I just wanted to be able to compete for a championship, and I know that moments like this comes with it. Especially being in L.A., the biggest market in basketball. I know the quote, unquote, pressure is going to be on us, going to be on me, especially the first year with everything that happened last year, and then also playing alongside 'Bron. I know he gets criticized more than any basketball player ever.

So just being able to play alongside him, and he kind of helped me with all this quote, unquote, pressure, going out and playing. You guys saw that in Game 5 of the Rockets where he comes to me at the scorer's table and talks to me when I was struggling. Just going out there and just playing basketball. He makes it a lot easier for me. Just being able to want this type of pressure, this type of spotlight, and go out and play in big games and make big-time plays and big-time shots for my team, it was definitely what I wanted.

The job is definitely not over until we're able to win the ring. I mean, that's when it's over and that's when the test is completed.

It was a big shot. Like I said, we'll celebrate it for a couple hours. But they could have easily won this game and we have to be ready for Game 3.

Q. Both Frank and LeBron brought up the shot you had against Brooklyn did not go in. How much has that shot influenced in the months since your ability to kind of get ready for taking another shot and getting another look just like that one?

ANTHONY DAVIS: LeBron will tell you, I mean, the first, probably like four days, I was talking to him like, "Damn, I should have made that shot. I've got to make that shot." He's like, "You're fine, you're fine."

But I put more pressure on myself than anybody. I feel like every shot I take is supposed to go in, and I have enough confidence in my shot to make those type of plays. I knew we were going to have an opportunity tonight to make almost the same exact shot from the same exact spot. This time, I think just missing that shot, making a three earlier from that same exact spot, just gives me a lot of confidence. Having this team giving me a lot of confidence in shooting the ball. Coach wanted me to shoot more threes, and having the confidence in me to shoot those.

Situations like that, having this team and coaching staff that believes in you to make plays like that and to draw plays up for you, things like that, to make you take those big shots, puts a lot of confidence in myself and confidence in my game where I can go up and make those type of plays.

Q. Is there anything about being at this level that you didn't expect? Kemba Walker said the other day now that he's finally in the Conference Finals, every possession matters. Is there anything --

ANTHONY DAVIS: Yeah, he's right. Every possession does matter. 24 turnovers tonight. I mean, we gave them 24 more possessions. Details like that matter because now teams will make you pay, and we can't afford to -- teams are already good enough to get this far that they are going to make plays. When we have mistakes offensively, not talking, not sprinting back on defense or whatever and we give them extra points, then we make it a lot harder for us to win a game.

Teams are great at this level, who made it this far. Players are a lot better than teams you might see in the first round. You never want to give them extra possessions. This guy to my left is a constant reminder of how we should play and the details and what it takes to win championships. He constantly preaches that in timeouts and in the film room because he's been there. We want to be there, too.

So details matter, and possessions; it's definitely a possession game when you get this late in the playoffs.

Q. Attention to detail sometimes on a play like that, some of the details get lot. Were you surprised how clean a movement you ended up --

ANTHONY DAVIS: I think Do [Rondo] wanted to come in and make that pass. Obviously, him and 'Bron are best passers on the team. But I knew if I had a look, a clean look to come off, he's going to put it on the money. I mean, it's crazy, because he had -- Jokic is like 7 feet, right? He had a 7-footer on him. Instead of a chest pass that some people would make, probably get deflected, he threw a bounce pass where he couldn't get to it and it landed right in my hands. I'm not sure what happened on the back side with their defense, but when I came off and I saw nobody in front of me, it really was just about taking your time and knocking down the shot.

He threw a great pass, and like I say, it's my job on this team, along with 'Bron's, to make plays like that for us.

Q. The last 20.8 seconds, take us through that.

ANTHONY DAVIS: Yeah, we knew we had no timeouts. AC [Alex Caruso] had a great look at the top of the key. Danny got the rebound. Tried to get a two pointer. Murray blocked and went out-of-bounds and we had 2.8 left or something like that. We were running this play for LeBron, who hit multiple game-winners in his career, to take us home.

I just saw how they were playing it. Plumlee was kind of off of me so I knew if I kind of flew around with them kind of locked in on 'Bron, I was going to probably have a clean look. I just kind of looked at Do and we made eye contact. He made a great pass, and I ended up making the shot.

But it was like a crazy possession. I mean, we had a couple good looks. Most people would give up on plays. It was a huge offensive rebound for Danny to get us that position. Credit goes to him, as well, for battling inside.

We came out victorious. Everybody played great tonight. It was a team effort. And like I said, we have to get ready for Game 3.