Dwight Howard’s antics after his Los Angeles Lakers won Game 2 of the Western Conference Finals on Sunday may have helped motivate the Denver Nuggets.
The Lakers won the game 105-103 on a 3-pointer by Anthony Davis at the buzzer. According to The Athletic’s Sam Amick, Howard broke away from the Lakers’ on-court celebration to taunt the Nuggets after the game.
From Amick’s story:
“Go home!” he yelled over and over while laughing, jumping, pumping his fist and getting closer to the Nuggets’ side of the floor with every second. “Go home!”
Howard has been playing only 15.4 minutes per game this postseason and played only 13 minutes in Game 2. Seeing a part-time player such as Howard taunt them may have rubbed the Nuggets the wrong way.
Denver came out motivated in Game 3 on Tuesday night and won 114-106 to cut the Lakers’ series lead to 2-1.
Maybe next time Howard should look to the example Rajon Rondo set for how to react.
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