The Los Angeles Lakers got a big win over the Denver Nuggets in overtime and they had to go through a lot of drama to get there. Austin Reeves intentionally missed his free throws at the end of regulation and was able to make a floater to get the ball back and tie the game.
At the end of overtime, Luka Doncic had the ball in his hands and did what he does best, making clutch shots. The Nuggets didn't have enough time to get clean shots, and a game that looked like they were going to win turned into a Lakers win.
After the game, LeBron James spoke highly of Doncic and his ability to make clutch shots, and there will be more from him in the future.
James said, via ESPN's Dave McMenamin, "Just a big shot by a generational player. ... We wanted the last shot. We wanted to get the ball in our guy's hands. So, this will be the first of many game winners for him and in a Lakers uniform."
"Just a big shot by a generational player. ... We wanted the last shot. We wanted to put the ball in our guy's hands. So, this is going to be the first of many game winners for him and in a Lakers uniform." - LeBron James on Luka Doncic's game winner pic.twitter.com/UhTsEIovS6
-Dave McMenamin (@mcten) 15 March 2026
Doncic has never been afraid to take the big shot, and more often than not, he nails it. James knows what his guy is capable of and probably doesn't mind giving him one last shot at the end of every game.
With the win, the Lakers have the tiebreaker over the Nuggets, which is big as the Western Conference standings continue to tighten toward the end of the season.
The Lakers have played well last week, and they are making progress at the right time to be in a good position when the season ends. As long as they have a closer like Doncic, they should be in good shape moving forward.
