LMI Edits Graphic
The last two the Los Angeles Lakers had two players score 30 or more points in the same game in the NBA Finals was 2002 when Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal did. Friday night it happened again with LeBron James and Anthony Davis in the 124-114 Game Two win over the Miami Heat to give the Lakers a 2-0 lead.
“Those two guys are obviously special. They are a duo that’s special together. They are the best duo we’ve seen. Multiple championships. They both were so dominant,” Davis said after the game.
” I know they had a little sit-down and they were talking about they were arguing because they both wanted to be so dominant, they both wanted to be great and they both wanted to win, and that’s why they jelled together outside of everything else that you might have heard that they were going through.
“But you know, those two guys were selfless. They both had a competitive spirit with themselves to will their teams to win. I think me and Bron are the same way. We are two guys who want to win no matter the circumstance. We both want to make sure that we do whatever it takes to help our team win. When you have two guys that are selfless
“It’s not always going to be pretty. Sometimes we are going to argue and have disagreements, but we know it’s coming from the right place. When you have two guys who want to win as bad as we do and want to be dominant every single game, you have games like tonight where two guys, we’re able to score the basketball and able to rebound and able to find guys. It’s rare . We know we have something special with us two and this team, and just trying to capitalize on it.”
Who is Shaq and who is Kobe?
“He’s Kobe because he handles the ball, and I’m Shaq because I play in the post,” Davis said.
James watched Kobe and Shaq play when he was in high school and says they are the most dominant duo he’s seen in his life from a basketball standpoint.
“Obviously we knew the force that Shaq brought to the table, but the elegance and force that Kobe played with, as well. They were very dominant in what they did on the floor, on both sides of the floor. So to be in the conversation with those two guys, myself and Anthony, myself and AD — he’s going to kill me — myself and AD, is just very humbling, because I know I grew up watching those guys,” James said.
I grew up admiring Kobe; obviously, a kid coming straight out of high school. Admired that, as a kid when I was young, and obviously got the opportunity. And the force that Shaq played with. It’s very humbling that we can be even mentioned with those greats.
Davis is now within two wins of his first NBA championship to go with the 2012 title he won at Kentucky. He says he has to stay focused, though, against the resilient Heat.
“This team has shown in both games that they are able to fight back. Even when they are down 20, 30, whatever it is, they are able to fight back and make plays,” Davis said. “So we can’t get too high, especially with this team. They didn’t even have two of their top scorers, two of their best players. They always have that next-man-up mentality. They come every night, they play hard, they play physical, they play aggressive.
“We came in tonight and said this is a must-win for us. We’re going to come in the next game and say it’s a must-win, and the next game it’s a must-win and so on and so forth. But this team can play. We have to be wary of that and make sure we come in and be better in our defensive schemes, which is going to help us win.”
