Game 1 of the 2023 Western Conference Finals was a story of two superstar centers. In a back-and-forth classy tilt between the Denver Nuggets and Los Angeles Lakers, Nikola Jokic and Anthony Davis traded haymaker after haymaker Tuesday night.
One of the biggest moments came near the very end of the third quarter, with Davis defending Jokic near the three-point line. Jokic squared up for a buzzer-beating shot and somehow got a wild attempt over Davis’ long, outstretched arms into the basket.
Given the shot’s clear degree of difficulty, all Davis could seemingly do was smile at his worthy opponent getting one over on him:
Jokic. Of course.https://t.co/2HWBH4qGHE pic.twitter.com/QhnEZzrexm
— Rob Perez (@WorldWideWob) May 17, 2023
After the game, with Jokic and the Nuggets surviving Davis’ Lakers 132-126, Davis explained why he smiled at Denver’s MVP-caliber center. His clarification, noting “there’s nothing else I could’ve done,” was so honest for an elite competitor.
"I just looked at him and smiled. There's nothing else I could've done…Definitely one of them nights."
Anthony Davis on what transpired after Jokic's tough buzzer beater 🗣pic.twitter.com/vA28buPsd4
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPointsApp) May 17, 2023
Even if Davis and his team lost, he can rest knowing he gave Jokic his personal best shot in an all-time center battle. The two are the third pair of NBA centers to have at least 30 points in a playoff game in NBA history, joining two separate games of Hakeem Olajuwon and Shaquille O’Neal and Hakeem Olajuwon and David Robinson from 1995.
Over the last 50 years, Anthony Davis and Nikola Jokic are the 3rd pair of opposing starting centers to each have 30 points in a playoff game.
They join Hakeem Olajuwon-Shaquille O'Neal and Hakeem Olajuwon-David Robinson, both in 1995. pic.twitter.com/F138t9MQBG
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) May 17, 2023
So even while Davis lamented his bad luck against Jokic on Tuesday, something says he’ll come back out firing well for Game 2 on Thursday night.
